U.S. patent application number 12/741864 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-21 for game system and jackpot drawing apparatus constituting the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Nobuhiro Goto, Kazuhiro Kusuda, Takashi Uchiyama, Hirokatsu Yamaguchi.
Application Number | 20100267447 12/741864 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40625797 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100267447 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goto; Nobuhiro ; et
al. |
October 21, 2010 |
GAME SYSTEM AND JACKPOT DRAWING APPARATUS CONSTITUTING THE SAME
Abstract
The present invention improve disadvantages such as a limited
jackpot drawing performance and so on. The present game system
includes: a jackpot drawing apparatus; a decision information
detecting unit for detecting decision information for deciding
whether a player is present at each of a plurality of game
apparatuses, and a player presence decision unit which, at a
predetermined timing after a drawing unit of the jackpot drawing
apparatus determines a game apparatus which has won the jackpot
award, decides whether a player is present at a winning game
apparatus based on a result detected by the decision information
detecting unit; wherein a jackpot payout processing unit performs a
jackpot payout process for the winning game apparatus where the
player presence decision unit decides that the player is present at
the winning game apparatus, but does not perform the jackpot payout
process for the winning game apparatus where the player presence
decision unit decides that the player is not present at the winning
game apparatus.
Inventors: |
Goto; Nobuhiro; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Kusuda; Kazuhiro; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
Uchiyama; Takashi; (Kanagawa, JP) ; Yamaguchi;
Hirokatsu; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DITTHAVONG MORI & STEINER, P.C.
918 Prince Street
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Konami Digital Entertainment Co.,
Ltd.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
40625797 |
Appl. No.: |
12/741864 |
Filed: |
November 6, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
November 6, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2008/070233 |
371 Date: |
May 7, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/27 ;
463/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3258 20130101;
G07F 17/3206 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/27 ;
463/43 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 9, 2007 |
JP |
2007-292394 |
Nov 6, 2008 |
JP |
2008-285044 |
Claims
1. A game system including a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which comprises a game progress control unit for performing game
progress control, comprising: a jackpot drawing apparatus, which
performs a jackpot drawing in which at least one of the plurality
of game apparatuses is regarded as a drawing target, including: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among the plurality of
game apparatuses, a payout amount storage unit which, when the
drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won the
jackpot award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount
containing an amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player
who plays with the winning game apparatus, a jackpot payout
processing unit which, when the drawing unit determines the game
apparatus which has won the jackpot award, performs a jackpot
payout process for reading out the payout amount data from the
payout amount storage unit and paying out at least a part of the
amount of payout objects corresponding to an amount indicated by
the read-out payout amount data to the player who plays with the
winning game apparatus, and a payout amount increasing unit for
cumulatively increasing an amount indicated by the payout amount
data stored in the payout amount storage unit when a predetermined
payout amount increasing condition is satisfied; a decision
information detecting unit for detecting decision information for
deciding whether a player is present at each of the plurality of
game apparatuses; and a player presence decision unit which, at a
predetermined timing after the drawing unit determines the game
apparatus which has won the jackpot award, decides whether the
player is present at the winning game apparatus based on a result
detected by the decision information detecting unit; wherein the
jackpot payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus
performs the jackpot payout process for the winning game apparatus
where the player presence decision unit decides that the player is
present at the winning game apparatus, but does not perform the
jackpot payout process for the winning game apparatus where the
player presence decision unit decides that the player is not
present at the winning game apparatus.
2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the jackpot
drawing process is to determine whether when a predetermined
drawing start condition is satisfied by any one of the plurality of
game apparatuses, the game apparatus which has satisfied the
predetermined drawing start condition wins the jackpot award.
3. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the jackpot
drawing apparatus is provided with an alternative winning
determination processing unit for performing an alternative winning
determination process in which a game apparatus that wins the
jackpot award is determined from two or more game apparatuses
excluding the winning game apparatus among the plurality of game
apparatuses, where the player presence decision unit decides that
the player is not present at the winning game apparatus, and the
jackpot payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus
performs the jackpot payout process for a player who plays with the
game apparatus determined by the alternative winning determination
processing unit where the player presence decision unit decides
that the player is not present at the winning game apparatus.
4. The game system according to claim 2, wherein the jackpot
drawing apparatus is provided with an alternative winning
determination processing unit for performing an alternative winning
determination process in which a game apparatus that wins the
jackpot award is determined from two or more game apparatuses
excluding the winning game apparatus among the plurality of game
apparatuses, where the player presence decision unit decides that
the player is not present at the winning game apparatus, and the
jackpot payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus
performs the jackpot payout process for a player who plays with the
game apparatus determined by the alternative winning determination
processing unit where the player presence decision unit decides
that the player is not present at the winning game apparatus.
5. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
at least one game apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses
comprises a credit data storage unit for storing credit data, a
bet-object receiving unit for receiving bet objects and a credit
processing unit for performing a credit process to decrease by a
value corresponding to an amount of bet objects received by the
bet-object receiving unit, credit data stored in the credit data
storage unit, and to increase the credit data by a value
corresponding to an amount according to an amount of bet objects
received by the bet-object receiving unit on the basis of the
result of game progress controlled by the game progressing unit;
the decision information detecting unit detects, as the decision
information, credit presence information indicating that the credit
data is stored in the credit data storage unit in the
above-described at least one game apparatus; and the player
presence decision unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus uses a
decision based on credit presence information on the winning game
apparatus detected by the decision information detecting unit, that
the credit data is stored in the credit data storage unit of the
winning game apparatus, as a condition for deciding the player
presence at the winning game apparatus.
6. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
at least one game apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses
comprises an identification information reading-out unit for
reading out player identification information from an
identification information storage medium which stores the player
identification information and an individual information storage
unit for storing individual information corresponding to the player
identification information, the game progress control unit of the
above-described at least one game apparatus, when the
identification information reading-out unit reads out the player
identification information, reads out the individual information
corresponding to the read-out player identification information
from the player identification information, and controls game
progress according to the read-out individual information, the
decision information detecting unit detects, as the decision
information, individual-information-presence-information indicating
that the individual information is stored in the individual
information storage unit in the above-described at least one game
apparatus, and the player presence decision unit of the jackpot
drawing apparatus uses a decision based on
individual-information-presence-information on the winning game
apparatus detected by the decision information detecting unit, that
the individual information is stored in the individual information
storage unit of the winning game apparatus, as a condition for
deciding the player presence at the winning game apparatus.
7. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
at least one game apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses
uses, as the decision information detecting unit, a presence
detecting unit for detecting whether a player is present at a
predetermined playing position at which the player of the game
apparatus is normally located, and the player presence decision
unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus uses the player presence at
the winning game apparatus which is detected by the presence
detecting unit, as a condition for determining the player presence
at the winning game apparatus.
8. A jackpot drawing apparatus for performing a jackpot drawing
wherein at least one of a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which is provided with a game progress control unit for controlling
game progress, is regarded as a drawing target, comprising: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among the plurality of
game apparatuses, a payout amount storage unit which, when the
drawing unit determines a game apparatus which has won the jackpot
award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount containing an
amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player who plays with
the winning game apparatus, a jackpot payout processing unit which,
when the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won
the jackpot award, performs a jackpot payout process for reading
out the payout amount data from the payout amount storage unit and
paying out at least a part of the amount of payout objects
corresponding to an amount indicated by the read-out payout amount
data, to the player playing with the winning game apparatus, a
payout amount increasing unit for cumulatively increasing an amount
indicated by the payout amount data stored in the payout amount
storage unit when a predetermined payout amount increasing
condition is satisfied, and a player presence decision unit which,
at a predetermined timing after the drawing unit determines the
game apparatus which has won the jackpot award, decides whether the
player is present at the winning game apparatus based on a result
detected by the decision information for deciding whether players
are present individually at the plurality of game apparatuses,
wherein the jackpot payout processing unit performs the jackpot
payout process for the winning game apparatus where the player
presence decision unit decides that the player is present at the
winning game apparatus but does not perform the jackpot payout
process for the winning game apparatus where the player presence
decision unit decides that the player is not present at the winning
game apparatus.
9. A game system including a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which comprises a game progress control unit for performing game
progress control, comprising: a jackpot drawing apparatus, which
performs a jackpot drawing in which at least one of the plurality
of game apparatuses is regarded as a drawing target, including: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among game apparatuses
which are drawing targets, a payout amount storage unit which, when
the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won the
jackpot award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount
including an amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player
who plays with the winning game apparatus, a payout processing unit
which, when the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which
has won the jackpot award, performs a payout process for reading
out the payout amount data from the payout amount storage unit and
paying out at least a part of the amount of payout objects
corresponding to an amount indicated by the read-out payout amount
data to the player who plays with the winning game apparatus, and a
payout amount increasing unit for cumulatively increasing an amount
indicated by the payout amount data stored in the payout amount
storage unit when a predetermined payout amount increasing
condition is satisfied; and a decision information detecting unit
for detecting decision information for deciding whether each of the
plurality of game apparatuses is played by a player individually at
the plurality of game apparatuses; wherein the jackpot drawing
apparatus further comprises a game apparatus specifying unit for
specifying a game apparatus played by a player based on a result
detected by the decision information detecting unit, and the
drawing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs the jackpot
drawing process in which only the game apparatus specified by the
game apparatus specifying unit among the plurality of game
apparatuses is regarded as a drawing target.
10. The game system according to claim 9, wherein at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses comprises a
bet-object receiving unit for receiving bet objects and a payout
processing unit for performing a payout process for paying out to a
player an amount of payout objects corresponding to an amount of
bet objects received by the bet-object receiving unit based on a
result of a game controlled by the game progressing unit; the
decision information detecting unit detects, as the decision
information, receipt timing information for specifying a timing at
which the bet-object receiving unit receives a bet object in the
above-described at least one game apparatus; and the game apparatus
specifying unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus uses a decision
based on receipt timing information detected by the decision
information detecting unit, that time elapsed from a timing at
which the bet object has been received does not pass over a
predetermined specified time, as a condition for specifying that a
game apparatus corresponding to the receipt timing information is
the game apparatus played by the player.
11. The game system according to claim 9, wherein at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses comprises a
credit data storage unit for storing credit data, a bet-object
receiving unit for receiving bet objects, and a credit processing
unit for performing a credit process to decrease by a value
corresponding to an amount of bet objects received by the
bet-object receiving unit, credit data stored in the credit data
storage unit, and to increase the credit data by a value
corresponding to an amount according to an amount of bet objects
received by the bet-object receiving unit on the basis of the
result of game progress controlled by the game progressing unit;
the decision information detecting unit detects, as the decision
information, credit change timing information for specifying a
timing at which the credit processing unit changes credit data
stored in the credit data storage unit in the above-described at
least one game apparatus; and the game apparatus specifying unit of
the jackpot drawing apparatus uses a decision the credit change
timing information detected by the decision information detecting
unit, that time elapsed from a timing at which the credit data has
been changed does not pass over a predetermined specified time, as
a condition for specifying that a game apparatus corresponding to
the credit change timing information is the game apparatus played
by the player.
12. The game system according to claim 9, wherein at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses comprises a game
operation accepting unit for accepting an game operation by a
player, the game progress control unit of the above-described at
least one game apparatus controls game progress according to the
game operation accepted by the game operation accepting unit, the
decision information detecting unit detects, as the decision
information, game operation timing information for specifying a
timing at which the game operation accepting unit has accepted the
game operation in the above-described at least one game apparatus,
and the game apparatus specifying unit of the jackpot drawing
apparatus uses a decision based on the game operation timing
information detected by the decision information detecting unit,
that time elapsed from a timing at which the game operation has
been accepted does not pass over a predetermined specified time, as
a condition for specifying that a game apparatus corresponding to
the game operation timing information is the game apparatus played
by the player.
13. The game system according to claim 9, wherein at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses comprises an
identification information reading-out unit for reading out the
player identification information from an identification
information storage medium which stores the player identification
information and an individual information storage unit for storing
individual information corresponding to the player identification
information, the game progress control unit of the above-described
at least one game apparatus, when the identification information
reading-out unit reads out the player identification information,
reads out the individual information corresponding to the read-out
player identification information from the player identification
information, and controls game progress according to the read-out
individual information, the decision information detecting unit
detects, as the decision information, identification information
reading-out timing information for specifying a timing at which the
identification information reading-out unit reads out the player
identification information from the identification information
storage medium in the above-described at least one game apparatus,
and the game apparatus specifying unit of the jackpot drawing
apparatus uses a decision that time elapsed from a timing at which
the player identification information has been read out does not
pass over a predetermined specified time on the basis of the
identification information read-out timing information detected by
the decision information detecting unit as a condition for
specifying that a game apparatus corresponding to the
identification information read-out timing information is the game
apparatus played by the player.
14. The game system according to claim 9, wherein at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses uses, as the
decision information detecting unit, a presence detecting unit for
detecting whether a player is present at a predetermined playing
position at which the player of the game apparatus is normally
located, and the game apparatus specifying unit of the jackpot
drawing apparatus uses the player presence detected by the presence
detecting unit as a condition for specifying that a game apparatus
provided with the presence detecting unit is the game apparatus
played by the player.
15. A jackpot drawing apparatus for performing a jackpot drawing
wherein at least one of a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which is provided with a game progress control unit for controlling
game progress, is regarded as a drawing target comprising: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among game apparatuses
which are drawing targets, a payout amount storage unit which, when
the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won the
jackpot award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount
including an amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player
who plays with the winning game apparatus, a payout processing unit
which, when the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which
has won the jackpot award, performs a payout process for reading
out the payout amount data from the payout amount storage unit and
paying out at least a part of the amount of payout objects
corresponding to an amount indicated by the read-out payout amount
data to the player who plays with the winning game apparatus, a
payout amount increasing unit for cumulatively increasing an amount
indicated by the payout amount data stored in the payout amount
storage unit when a predetermined payout amount increasing
condition is satisfied, and a game apparatus specifying unit for
specifying a game apparatus played by a player based on a result
detected by the decision information for deciding whether each of
the plurality of game apparatuses is played by a player
individually at the plurality of game apparatuses, wherein the
drawing unit performs the jackpot drawing process in which only the
game apparatus specified by the game apparatus specifying unit
among the plurality of game apparatuses is regarded as a drawing
target.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a game system provided with
a jackpot drawing apparatus for selecting a game apparatus which
wins a jackpot award among a plurality of game apparatuses and also
to a jackpot drawing apparatus constituting the game system.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, this type of jackpot drawing apparatus
includes, for example, a drawing machine utilized in a game system
constituted with a plurality of token-operated game machines (game
apparatuses) installed at a game center and others (for example,
refer to Patent Document 1). In general, a token-operated game
machine controls game progress on the condition where a token (bet
object) is received from a player and a predetermined number of
tokens (payout objects) paid out to the player according to the
game result thereof An explanation will be made for an example of
the token-operated game machine in which a jackpot drawing
apparatus is utilized. That is, the number of tokens (bet objects)
corresponding to a part of the number of the tokens received from a
player is added accumulatively and kept as payout amount data at a
payout amount storage unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus. Then,
when a predetermined drawing start condition is satisfied, a
drawing is performed by the jackpot drawing apparatus to determine
whether a jackpot award is won or the jackpot award is lost (loss).
When the jackpot award is won in this drawing, the number of tokens
corresponding to at least a part of the payout amount data is paid
out to a player who has satisfied the predetermined drawing start
condition and the payout amount data is returned to an initial
value.
[0003] In general, a jackpot drawing apparatus is often utilized in
a game system constituted with a plurality of game apparatuses,
each of which is provided with a game progress control unit which
carries out a game independently. This is due to the following
reasons. That is, the number of tokens which is allowed to be paid
out to a player at one time by an individual game apparatus is
limited to some extent by the individual game apparatus. Therefore,
where the jackpot drawing apparatus is utilized in a single game
apparatus, the number of tokens paid out at the time of winning the
jackpot award thereof is largely limited to its upper limit by a
maximum payout amount set in the game apparatus concerned. In
contrast, where the jackpot drawing apparatus is utilized in a game
system made up of a plurality of game apparatuses, the number of
tokens paid out at the time of winning the jackpot award thereof
can be determined for its upper limit by a sum of maximum payout
amounts in the plurality of game apparatuses. In this instance, as
compared with a case where the jackpot drawing apparatus is
utilized in a single game apparatus, it is possible to increase the
number of tokens paid out at the time of winning the jackpot award.
As a result, an expectation can be given to a player that a great
number of tokens would be paid out at one time by winning the
jackpot award, thereby attracting the interest of the player. Due
to the above-described advantage, the jackpot drawing apparatus is
more often utilized in a game system constituted with a plurality
of game apparatuses than in a single game apparatus.
[0004] In particular, recently, there is known a game system
constituted with game apparatuses installed in a plurality of
gaming arcades (game facilities). The jackpot drawing apparatus can
be utilized also in this type of game system.
[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent
Application No. 2002-253842
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0006] A conventional jackpot drawing is in general performed in a
manner that a player who plays a game with each game apparatus
satisfies a jackpot drawing start condition during the game play
and thereby a determination is made for whether the game apparatus
concerned wins a jackpot award. However, where the jackpot drawing
start condition is a condition that is not related to a game play
played by the player who plays with each game apparatus, a
situation where a jackpot award is won in a game apparatus which is
not played by the player can be developed. Thus, in a conventional
jackpot drawing, the jackpot drawing start condition is required to
be related to a game play played by the player in each game
apparatus. Therefore, a problem arises that the jackpot drawing
start condition is low in the degree of freedom.
[0007] Further, in a conventional game system, where a process that
a single jackpot drawing is performed to determine a game apparatus
which wins a jackpot award from a plurality of game apparatuses is
performed, a situation where the jackpot award is won in a game
apparatus which is not played by a player can be developed. Thus,
the above-described process cannot be performed, thereby a problem
arises which causes various disadvantages, for example, failure in
carrying out a performance for determining the jackpot award from a
plurality of game apparatuses.
[0008] In general, in a jackpot drawing, it is necessary to avoid a
situation where after a winning player leaves a game apparatus, a
jackpot is paid out to the player. In a conventional jackpot
drawing, a player who plays a game with each apparatus usually
satisfies a jackpot drawing start condition during the game play,
thereby performing a process that a determination is made for
whether a jackpot award is won by the game apparatus concerned.
Then, when the player satisfies the jackpot drawing start condition
during the game play, the jackpot drawing is immediately performed.
And, a large-scale winning performance is carried out for the
player immediately after winning of the jackpot award is determined
Therefore, a case where before a winning player is aware of having
won the jackpot award, the player leaves the game apparatus, hardly
occurs. Thus, a situation hardly occurs that after the winning
player leaves the game apparatus, a jackpot is paid out to the
player.
[0009] However, a reason why the above situation hardly occurs in a
conventional jackpot drawing is that various conditions have been
set to an extent so as to prevent a situation where before a
winning player is aware of having won a jackpot award, the player
leaves a game apparatus. Therefore, in a game system of performing
the conventional jackpot drawing, a problem of causing
disadvantages, for example, deterioration in the degree of freedom
in setting various conditions arises.
[0010] In an attempt to carry out a drawing performance
(performance to the effect that a jackpot drawing is to be
performed from now or the drawing is in progress) in a relatively
long jackpot drawing, for example, in order to liven up the jackpot
drawing, a case can be frequently found where before a winning
player is aware of having won a jackpot award, the player leaves a
game apparatus. Since a jackpot drawing is usually set to be
extremely low in its winning probability, a player has a very small
expectation of winning the award and when the player finishes
playing with a game apparatus, the player often leaves the game
apparatus even when the jackpot drawing is still in the middle of
performance. Therefore, conventionally, a relatively long
performance is not carried out which may develop a situation where
before a winning player is aware of having won a jackpot award, the
player leaves the game apparatus.
[0011] Further, for example, in a case where a jackpot drawing is
started under a condition which is not related to a game play
played by a player with each game apparatus, the player often
leaves the game apparatus at a timing at which the player finishes
playing with the game apparatus even when the jackpot drawing start
condition is satisfied. In this case as well, a situation where
before a winning player is aware of having won a jackpot award, the
player leaves the game apparatus can be frequently found.
Therefore, in a conventional jackpot drawing, a jackpot drawing
start condition is made so as to be related to a game play played
by a player with each game apparatus. For example, a player that
bets tokens for playing a game is regard as a jackpot drawing start
condition. Thereby, a situation has been avoided where a player who
has satisfied a jackpot drawing start condition leaves a game
apparatus at a point in time when the player has satisfied the
condition or the player leaves the game apparatus immediately
thereafter. Thus, conventionally, there is no jackpot drawing in
which the jackpot drawing start condition is made so as not to be
related to a game play played by a player with each game
apparatus.
[0012] A game system which utilizes a jackpot drawing apparatus is
applicable to pachinko machines and slot machines installed at a
pachinko parlor and others, in addition to those installed at a
game center and others. The above problem is also found even in
this type of game system.
[0013] The present invention realizes and provides a game system
capable of improving disadvantages such as a limited jackpot
drawing performance and a lower degree of freedom in setting a
jackpot drawing start condition and also a jackpot drawing
apparatus which constitutes the game system.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0014] As an aspect of the present invention, it is listed that a
game system including a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which comprises a game progress control unit for performing game
progress control, comprises: a jackpot drawing apparatus, which
performs a jackpot drawing in which at least one of the plurality
of game apparatuses is regarded as a drawing target, including: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among the plurality of
game apparatuses, a payout amount storage unit which, when the
drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won the
jackpot award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount
containing an amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player
who plays with the winning game apparatus, a jackpot payout
processing unit which, when the drawing unit determines the game
apparatus which has won the jackpot award, performs a jackpot
payout process for reading out the payout amount data from the
payout amount storage unit and paying out at least a part of the
amount of payout objects corresponding to an amount indicated by
the read-out payout amount data to the player who plays with the
winning game apparatus, and a payout amount increasing unit for
cumulatively increasing an amount indicated by the payout amount
data stored in the payout amount storage unit when a predetermined
payout amount increasing condition is satisfied; a decision
information detecting unit for detecting decision information for
deciding whether a player is present at each of the plurality of
game apparatuses; and a player presence decision unit which, at a
predetermined timing after the drawing unit determines the game
apparatus which has won the jackpot award, decides whether the
player is present at the winning game apparatus based on a result
detected by the decision information detecting unit; wherein the
jackpot payout processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus
performs the jackpot payout process for the winning game apparatus
where the player presence decision unit decides that the player is
present at the winning game apparatus, but does not perform the
jackpot payout process for the winning game apparatus where the
player presence decision unit decides that the player is not
present at the winning game apparatus.
[0015] In this game system, at a predetermined timing after winning
of the jackpot award has been determined, confirmation is made for
the presence of a player in the winning game apparatus. When the
player is not present at the game apparatus, the jackpot payout
process is not performed in the game apparatus. Thereby, it is
possible to avoid a situation where the jackpot is paid out to a
winning player who leaves the game apparatus before being aware of
having won the jackpot award. Therefore, there is no case where
various conditions such as a jackpot drawing performance and a
jackpot drawing start condition are limited to an extent so as to
prevent a situation where the winning player leaves the game
apparatus before being aware of having won the jackpot award.
[0016] In the above-described game system, the jackpot drawing
process may be to determine whether when a predetermined drawing
start condition is satisfied by any one of the plurality of game
apparatuses, the game apparatus which has satisfied the
predetermined drawing start condition wins the jackpot award.
[0017] Where a game apparatus which wins a jackpot award is
determined by a single drawing from a plurality of game
apparatuses, it is often necessary to adjust a timing for
performing a jackpot drawing individually among the plurality of
game apparatuses. However, where the jackpot drawing can be
performed individually in each game apparatus as described in the
present game system, it is not necessary to adjust a timing for
performing the jackpot drawing among a plurality of game
apparatuses. It is, therefore, possible to simplify a jackpot
drawing process.
[0018] In the above-described game system, the jackpot drawing
apparatus may be provided with an alternative winning determination
processing unit for performing an alternative winning determination
process in which a game apparatus that wins the jackpot award is
determined from two or more game apparatuses excluding the winning
game apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses, where the
player presence decision unit decides that the player is not
present at the winning game apparatus, and the jackpot payout
processing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus may perform the
jackpot payout process for a player who plays with the game
apparatus determined by the alternative winning determination
processing unit where the player presence decision unit decides
that the player is not present at the winning game apparatus.
[0019] A method for processing in a case where the player presence
decision unit determines that a player is not present at the above
winning game apparatus may include a method in which the player is
not notified that winning of the jackpot award has been determined
and a jackpot is not paid out. In this case, the same situation
where a jackpot award has not been won in view of the player can be
provided. However, there is a case where, for example, a
performance is carried out that an advance notification that
winning of the jackpot award has been determined is issued to
players in a state of being unable to comprehend a winning player
and a notification that who was the winning player is issued after
a while. In this case, when a situation developed where the winning
player leaves a game apparatus after issuing the advance
notification, not winning the jackpot award would leave a largely
unpleasant feeling in terms of game progress.
[0020] In the present game system, as a method for processing in a
case where the player presence decision unit determines that a
player is not present at the above winning game apparatus, a method
in which the alternative winning determination processing unit is
used to give the jackpot award to another game apparatus is
adopted. Thereby, a game can be kept in progress without any
unpleasant feeling even in a situation which would make it
difficult to cancel the winning of the jackpot award.
[0021] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise a
credit data storage unit for storing credit data, a bet-object
receiving unit for receiving bet objects and a credit processing
unit for performing a credit process to decrease by a value
corresponding to an amount of bet objects received by the
bet-object receiving unit, credit data stored in the credit data
storage unit, and to increase the credit data by a value
corresponding to an amount according to an amount of bet objects
received by the bet-object receiving unit on the basis of the
result of game progress controlled by the game progressing unit;
the decision information detecting unit may detect, as the decision
information, credit presence information indicating that the credit
data is stored in the credit data storage unit in the
above-described at least one game apparatus; and the player
presence decision unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus may use a
decision based on credit presence information on the winning game
apparatus detected by the decision information detecting unit, that
the credit data is stored in the credit data storage unit of the
winning game apparatus, as a condition for deciding the player
presence at the winning game apparatus.
[0022] In this game system, it is possible to accurately decide
whether a player is present at a game apparatus which performs the
credit process for increasing or decreasing credit data.
[0023] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise an
identification information reading-out unit for reading out player
identification information from an identification information
storage medium which stores the player identification information
and an individual information storage unit for storing individual
information corresponding to the player identification information,
the game progress control unit of the above-described at least one
game apparatus, when the identification information reading-out
unit reads out the player identification information, may read out
the individual information corresponding to the read-out player
identification information from the player identification
information, and control game progress according to the read-out
individual information, the decision information detecting unit may
detect, as the decision information,
individual-information-presence-information indicating that the
individual information is stored in the individual information
storage unit in the above-described at least one game apparatus,
and the player presence decision unit of the jackpot drawing
apparatus may use a decision based on
individual-information-presence-information on the winning game
apparatus detected by the decision information detecting unit, that
the individual information is stored in the individual information
storage unit of the winning game apparatus, as a condition for
deciding the player presence at the winning game apparatus.
[0024] In this game system, it is possible to accurately decide
whether a player is present at a game apparatus for controlling
game progress depending on the individual information corresponding
to the player identification information read out by the
identification information reading-out unit.
[0025] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may use, as the
decision information detecting unit, a presence detecting unit for
detecting whether a player is present at a predetermined playing
position at which the player of the game apparatus is normally
located, and the player presence decision unit of the jackpot
drawing apparatus may use the player presence at the winning game
apparatus which is detected by the presence detecting unit, as a
condition for determining the player presence at the winning game
apparatus.
[0026] Since the player presence is directly detected in this game
system, it is possible to accurately decide whether a player plays
with the game apparatus.
[0027] As another aspect of the present invention, it is listed
that a jackpot drawing apparatus for performing a jackpot drawing
wherein at least one of a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which is provided with a game progress control unit for controlling
game progress, is regarded as a drawing target, comprises: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among the plurality of
game apparatuses, a payout amount storage unit which, when the
drawing unit determines a game apparatus which has won the jackpot
award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount containing an
amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player who plays with
the winning game apparatus, a jackpot payout processing unit which,
when the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won
the jackpot award, performs a jackpot payout process for reading
out the payout amount data from the payout amount storage unit and
paying out at least a part of the amount of payout objects
corresponding to an amount indicated by the read-out payout amount
data, to the player playing with the winning game apparatus, a
payout amount increasing unit for cumulatively increasing an amount
indicated by the payout amount data stored in the payout amount
storage unit when a predetermined payout amount increasing
condition is satisfied, and a player presence decision unit which,
at a predetermined timing after the drawing unit determines the
game apparatus which has won the jackpot award, decides whether the
player is present at the winning game apparatus based on a result
detected by the decision information for deciding whether players
are present individually at the plurality of game apparatuses,
wherein the jackpot payout processing unit performs the jackpot
payout process for the winning game apparatus where the player
presence decision unit decides that the player is present at the
winning game apparatus but does not perform the jackpot payout
process for the winning game apparatus where the player presence
decision unit decides that the player is not present at the winning
game apparatus.
[0028] This jackpot drawing apparatus works together with the
decision information detecting unit installed on the plurality of
game apparatuses or the jackpot drawing apparatus concerned or an
apparatus different from these apparatuses. Thereby, there is no
case where various conditions such as a jackpot drawing performance
and a jackpot drawing start condition are limited to an extent so
as to prevent a situation where the winning player leaves the game
apparatus before being aware of having won the jackpot award.
[0029] As another aspect of the present invention, it is listed
that a game system including a plurality of game apparatuses, each
of which comprises a game progress control unit for performing game
progress control, comprises: a jackpot drawing apparatus, which
performs a jackpot drawing in which at least one of the plurality
of game apparatuses is regarded as a drawing target, including: a
drawing unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine
a game apparatus that wins a jackpot award among game apparatuses
which are drawing targets, a payout amount storage unit which, when
the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won the
jackpot award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount
including an amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player
who plays with the winning game apparatus, a payout processing unit
which, when the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which
has won the jackpot award, performs a payout process for reading
out the payout amount data from the payout amount storage unit and
paying out at least a part of the amount of payout objects
corresponding to an amount indicated by the read-out payout amount
data to the player who plays with the winning game apparatus, and a
payout amount increasing unit for cumulatively increasing an amount
indicated by the payout amount data stored in the payout amount
storage unit when a predetermined payout amount increasing
condition is satisfied; and a decision information detecting unit
for detecting decision information for deciding whether each of the
plurality of game apparatuses is played by a player individually at
the plurality of game apparatuses; wherein the jackpot drawing
apparatus further comprises a game apparatus specifying unit for
specifying a game apparatus played by a player based on a result
detected by the decision information detecting unit, and the
drawing unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus performs the jackpot
drawing process in which only the game apparatus specified by the
game apparatus specifying unit among the plurality of game
apparatuses is regarded as a drawing target.
[0030] In this game system, it is possible to perform a jackpot
drawing process in which only game apparatuses each of which has a
high possibility to be played by a player is regard as the drawing
target among the plurality of game apparatuses capable of
participating in the jackpot drawing. Thus, there is less
likelihood of a situation where the jackpot award is won in a game
apparatus which is not played by a player.
[0031] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise a
bet-object receiving unit for receiving bet objects and a payout
processing unit for performing a payout process for paying out to a
player an amount of payout objects corresponding to an amount of
bet objects received by the bet-object receiving unit based on a
result of a game controlled by the game progressing unit; the
decision information detecting unit may detect, as the decision
information, receipt timing information for specifying a timing at
which the bet-object receiving unit receives a bet object in the
above-described at least one game apparatus; and the game apparatus
specifying unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus may use a decision
based on receipt timing information detected by the decision
information detecting unit, that time elapsed from a timing at
which the bet object has been received does not pass over a
predetermined specified time, as a condition for specifying that a
game apparatus corresponding to the receipt timing information is
the game apparatus played by the player.
[0032] In this game system, it is possible to accurately decide
whether a player is present at a game apparatus which pays out
payout objects to a player in an amount corresponding to an amount
of bet objects received by the bet-object receiving unit on the
basis of the game result.
[0033] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise a
credit data storage unit for storing credit data, a bet-object
receiving unit for receiving bet objects, and a credit processing
unit for performing a credit process to decrease by a value
corresponding to an amount of bet objects received by the
bet-object receiving unit, credit data stored in the credit data
storage unit, and to increase the credit data by a value
corresponding to an amount according to an amount of bet objects
received by the bet-object receiving unit on the basis of the
result of game progress controlled by the game progressing unit;
the decision information detecting unit detects, as the decision
information, credit change timing information for specifying a
timing at which the credit processing unit changes credit data
stored in the credit data storage unit in the above-described at
least one game apparatus; and the game apparatus specifying unit of
the jackpot drawing apparatus may use a decision the credit change
timing information detected by the decision information detecting
unit, that time elapsed from a timing at which the credit data has
been changed does not pass over a predetermined specified time, as
a condition for specifying that a game apparatus corresponding to
the credit change timing information is the game apparatus played
by the player.
[0034] In this game system, it is possible to accurately decide
whether a player is present at a game apparatus which performs the
credit process for increasing or decreasing credit data.
[0035] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise a
game operation accepting unit for accepting an game operation by a
player, the game progress control unit of the above-described at
least one game apparatus may control game progress according to the
game operation accepted by the game operation accepting unit, the
decision information detecting unit may detect, as the decision
information, game operation timing information for specifying a
timing at which the game operation accepting unit has accepted the
game operation in the above-described at least one game apparatus,
and the game apparatus specifying unit of the jackpot drawing
apparatus may use a decision based on the game operation timing
information detected by the decision information detecting unit,
that time elapsed from a timing at which the game operation has
been accepted does not pass over a predetermined specified time, as
a condition for specifying that a game apparatus corresponding to
the game operation timing information is the game apparatus played
by the player.
[0036] In this game system, it is possible to accurately decide
whether a player is present at a game apparatus for controlling
game progress according to game operation accepted by the game
operation accepting unit.
[0037] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise an
identification information reading-out unit for reading out the
player identification information from an identification
information storage medium which stores the player identification
information and an individual information storage unit for storing
individual information corresponding to the player identification
information, the game progress control unit of the above-described
at least one game apparatus, when the identification information
reading-out unit reads out the player identification information,
may read out the individual information corresponding to the
read-out player identification information from the player
identification information, and control game progress according to
the read-out individual information, the decision information
detecting unit may detect, as the decision information,
identification information reading-out timing information for
specifying a timing at which the identification information
reading-out unit reads out the player identification information
from the identification information storage medium in the
above-described at least one game apparatus, and the game apparatus
specifying unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus may use a decision
that time elapsed from a timing at which the player identification
information has been read out does not pass over a predetermined
specified time on the basis of the identification information
read-out timing information detected by the decision information
detecting unit as a condition for specifying that a game apparatus
corresponding to the identification information read-out timing
information is the game apparatus played by the player.
[0038] In this game system, it is possible to accurately decide
whether a player is present at a game apparatus which controls game
progress according to the individual information corresponding to
the player identification information read out by the
identification information reading-out unit.
[0039] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may use, as the
decision information detecting unit, a presence detecting unit for
detecting whether a player is present at a predetermined playing
position at which the player of the game apparatus is normally
located, and the game apparatus specifying unit of the jackpot
drawing apparatus may use the player presence detected by the
presence detecting unit as a condition for specifying that a game
apparatus provided with the presence detecting unit is the game
apparatus played by the player.
[0040] Since the player presence is directly detected in this game
system, it is possible to accurately decide whether a player plays
with the game apparatus.
[0041] In the above-described game system, at least one game
apparatus among the plurality of game apparatuses may comprise a
bet-object receiving unit for receiving bet objects and a payout
processing unit for performing a payout process for paying out to a
player an amount of payout objects corresponding to an amount of
bet objects received by the bet-object receiving unit based on a
result of game controlled by the game progressing unit; the drawing
unit of the jackpot drawing apparatus may perform the jackpot
drawing process such that the more all amount of the bet objects
which the bet-object receiving unit of the game apparatus that is
the drawing target have received is increased, the higher a winning
probability of the jackpot award in the game apparatus becomes.
[0042] In this game system, a player who plays with a game
apparatus having a larger number of bet objects to be bet is more
likely to receive payout objects when winning the jackpot award.
Thereby, a game play can be effectively prompted for a player who
plays with each game apparatus.
[0043] As another aspect of the present invention, it is listed
that a jackpot drawing apparatus for performing a jackpot drawing
wherein at least one of a plurality of game apparatuses, each of
which is provided with a game progress control unit for controlling
game progress, is regarded as a drawing target comprises: a drawing
unit for performing a jackpot drawing process to determine a game
apparatus that wins a jackpot award among game apparatuses which
are drawing targets, a payout amount storage unit which, when the
drawing unit determines the game apparatus which has won the
jackpot award, stores payout amount data indicating an amount
including an amount of payout objects to be paid out to a player
who plays with the winning game apparatus, a payout processing unit
which, when the drawing unit determines the game apparatus which
has won the jackpot award, performs a payout process for reading
out the payout amount data from the payout amount storage unit and
paying out at least a part of the amount of payout objects
corresponding to an amount indicated by the read-out payout amount
data to the player who plays with the winning game apparatus, a
payout amount increasing unit for cumulatively increasing an amount
indicated by the payout amount data stored in the payout amount
storage unit when a predetermined payout amount increasing
condition is satisfied, and a game apparatus specifying unit for
specifying a game apparatus played by a player based on a result
detected by the decision information for deciding whether each of
the plurality of game apparatuses is played by a player
individually at the plurality of game apparatuses, wherein the
drawing unit performs the jackpot drawing process in which only the
game apparatus specified by the game apparatus specifying unit
among the plurality of game apparatuses is regarded as a drawing
target.
[0044] This jackpot drawing apparatus works together with the
decision information detecting unit installed on the plurality of
game apparatuses or the jackpot drawing apparatus concerned or
another apparatus different from these apparatuses, thus making it
possible to perform a jackpot drawing process in which only game
apparatuses each of which has a high possibility to be played by a
player is regard as the drawing target. Thereby, there is less
likelihood of a situation where the jackpot award is won in a game
apparatus which is not played by a player.
Effect of the Invention
[0045] According to the present invention, a situation can be
avoided that where a winning player leaves the game apparatus
before being aware of having won a jackpot award, a jackpot is paid
out to the player. Therefore, it is possible to improve
disadvantages such as a limited jackpot drawing performance and a
lower degree of freedom in setting a jackpot drawing start
condition.
[0046] Further, according to the present invention, there is less
likelihood of a situation where a jackpot award is won in a game
apparatus which is not played by a player. Therefore, a jackpot
drawing start condition can be set a condition which is not related
to a game play played by a player with each game apparatus, thus
making it possible to increase the degree of freedom in setting the
jackpot drawing start condition.
[0047] Further, a jackpot drawing performance can be carried out in
which winning of a jackpot award is determined from a plurality of
game apparatuses, thus making it possible to improve conventional
disadvantages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0048] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a whole game
system according to an embodiment 1.
[0049] FIG. 2 is an outline view showing one example of a
horse-racing game machine constituting the same game system.
[0050] FIG. 3 is a control block diagram showing a main control
unit for controlling a whole operation of the same horse-racing
game machine in an integrated way.
[0051] FIG. 4 is a control block diagram showing a station control
unit arranged in each station of the same horse-racing game
machine.
[0052] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining the
configuration of a station unit in a pusher game machine
constituting the same game system.
[0053] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a
game control system of the same pusher game machine.
[0054] FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an example of a slot
game screen displayed on a display unit of the same pusher game
machine.
[0055] FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an example of a bingo
game screen displayed on the display unit of the same pusher game
machine.
[0056] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the outline of a slot
machine constituting the same game system.
[0057] FIG. 10 is a detailed front view showing part of a front
panel of the same slot machine.
[0058] FIG. 11 is a control block diagram relating to a main
configuration of the same slot machine.
[0059] FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of a management
server.
[0060] FIG. 13 is a control block diagram of a gaming arcade
server.
[0061] FIG. 14 is a sequence flowchart showing a flow of a total
jackpot drawing.
[0062] FIG. 15 is a sequence flowchart for explaining a determining
process of a total jackpot performance timing.
[0063] FIG. 16 is an explanatory view showing an example of a
jackpot start screen displayed on a display unit at each of the
stations, etc., which are drawing targets.
[0064] FIG. 17 is an explanatory view showing an example of a slot
screen displayed on a display unit at each of the stations, etc.,
which are drawing targets.
[0065] FIG. 18 is a sequence flowchart showing a flow of a total
jackpot drawing in a game system of embodiment 2.
[0066] FIG. 19 is an explanatory view showing an example of a
gaming-arcade drawing slot screen displayed on a large display
connected to a gaming arcade server in the game system.
[0067] FIG. 20 is an explanatory view showing an example of the
gaming-arcade drawing slot screen displayed in a state of being
stopped.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0068] 1000 Horse-racing game machine
[0069] 1010 Station
[0070] 1011 Display
[0071] 1101 Main control device
[0072] 1108, 2625, 3107, 4003, 5003 External communication
device
[0073] 1201 Station control device
[0074] 2000 Pusher game machine
[0075] 2001 Satellite drawing apparatus
[0076] 2002 Center drawing apparatus
[0077] 2500 Play field
[0078] 2601, 2611, 2621 Control device
[0079] 2700 Display unit
[0080] 3000 Slot machine
[0081] 3011 Performance panel
[0082] 3101 Control device
[0083] 4000 Management server
[0084] 4001 Control device
[0085] 5000 Gaming arcade server
[0086] 5001 Control device
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Embodiment 1
[0087] The following description will explain one embodiment
(hereinafter, the present embodiment is referred to as a
"embodiment 1") applied to a game system configured with three
types of token-operated game machines as arcade game machines
(business-use game apparatuses) that are two or more types of game
apparatuses having hardware configurations different from each
other, and a gaming arcade server and a management server that are
total performance processing apparatuses connected to and capable
of communicating with these token-operated game machines.
[0088] [System Overview]
[0089] First, the configuration of a whole game system according to
the present embodiment 1 will be explained.
[0090] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the whole
game system according to the present embodiment 1.
[0091] Three types of token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and
3000 constituting the game system are different types of game
machines having hardware configurations different from each other.
In the present embodiment 1, the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000 are installed in a game facility such as a game
center, etc., and connected to a gaming arcade server 5000 in the
gaming arcade via a LAN (Local Area Network) that is a high-speed
communication network. A management server 4000 is connected to the
gaming arcade server in each gaming arcade, via a WAN (Wide Area
Network) that is a low-speed communication network. The management
server 4000 performs data communication with the gaming arcade
server that performs system management for the whole gaming arcade
by performing data communication with each of the token-operated
game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 so as to manage the whole game
system. It is noted that a game system covering a plurality of
gaming arcades will be explained in the present embodiment 1; the
explanation, however, will be applied also to a game system within
a single gaming arcade.
[0092] Next, the configuration and the operation of each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 will be
explained.
[0093] [Horse-Racing Game Machine 1000]
[0094] The token-operated game machine 1000 is a horse-racing game
machine.
[0095] In the horse-racing game machine 1000, one or at least two
players predict an order of arrival for a horse race played in the
horse-racing game machine, and when the prediction is correct, the
player is capable of receiving a token payout according to odds
against that order.
[0096] FIG. 2 is an outline view showing one example of the
horse-racing game machine 1000.
[0097] The horse-racing game machine 1000 is provided with a field
unit 1002 arranged at the center portion and a plurality of
stations 1010, as game apparatus, arranged to surround the field
unit 1002. In the field unit 1002, a field surface 1004 as a moving
surface that resembles turf on a race track on which a starting
gate 1003 as a model is installed, is arranged, and when a
plurality of model horses (not shown) are moved within the field
surface 1004, a race is developed. Around the field unit 1002, a
plurality of speakers 1005 for providing live race coverage,
cheers, etc., are placed. Above the field unit 1002, placed are: a
display unit 1006 for displaying, for example, a total accumulated
token count indicating the number of pieces to be paid out for a
total jackpot drawing described later; an illuminating device 1007
for illuminating the field unit 1002; and a camera 1009 that is an
imaging unit functioning as imaging means for imaging the field
unit 1002. The display unit 1006, the illuminating device 1007, and
the camera 1009 are supported by a support column 1008. The speaker
1005 and the illuminating device 1007 that are performance units
functioning as performance means of the horse-racing game machine
1000.
[0098] In the station 1010, a display 1011 for displaying thereon a
game screen according to the progress of the game, and a touch
panel 1012 overlapped on a display surface of the display 1011, are
arranged. When a player touches a predetermined position of the
game screen displayed on the display 1011 according to an
instruction on the game screen, the position is detected by the
touch panel 1012 and an operation content of the player is
recognized by the horse-racing game machine 1000. In the station
1010, further arranged are: a token drop-in unit 1013 into which a
token is dropped in by the player; a token payout opening 1014 from
which the token is paid out to the player; and a magnetic-card
inserting slot 1015 into which a magnetic card for recording
thereon data that becomes necessary when the game is resumed is
inserted.
[0099] In the horse-racing game machine 1000, races having the same
titles as those of actual horse races held by the Japan Racing
Association are sequentially held according to a predetermined
cycle. For races held during one year, about 60 races are prepared,
and for each race, a time for betting a token, i.e., a time for
purchasing a betting ticket; a time during which a race is held by
model horses; and a time for displaying race results are secured.
The player predicts the order of arrival for each race, and is
capable of freely purchasing a betting ticket. The purchasing of
the betting ticket is performed by betting a token, and when the
purchased betting ticket matches the results of the race, the
player is paid out, as a dividend, tokens of which the number of
pieces corresponds to that obtained in accordance with the number
of pieces of tokens to be bet and odds.
[0100] In the horse-racing game machine 1000 in the present
embodiment 1, the field unit 1002 forms the field surface 1004, and
on the field surface 1004, an artificial lawn resembling an actual
turf and models such as a starting gate 1003, etc., are arranged. A
model horse as a moving body is moved on the field surface
1004.
[0101] FIG. 3 is a control block diagram showing a main control
unit for controlling the whole operation of the horse-racing game
machine 1000 in an integrated way.
[0102] FIG. 4 is a control block diagram showing a station control
unit arranged in each station 1010.
[0103] As shown in FIG. 3, the main control unit 1100 placed on the
field unit side is provided with: a main control device 1101; a
movement control device 1102 for controlling a movement of the
model horse in the field unit 1002; an illumination control device
1103 for controlling the illuminating device 1007; an audio control
device 1104 for controlling the cheers, the live coverage, etc.,
provided by the speaker 1005; an SRAM 1105 and a flash memory 1106
for temporarily recording data processed by the main control device
1101; a ROM 1107 in which a program necessary for the game and
various types of databases are stored; and an external
communication device 1108 for performing data communication via a
LAN with an external device such as the gaming arcade server 5000.
The main control device 1101 is connected to each of the movement
control device 1102, the illumination control device 1103, the
audio control device 1104, the SRAM 1105, the flash memory 1106,
the ROM 1107, the external communication device 1108, and the
camera 1009. In the ROM 1107, a movement control program that is
movement control information for each model horse, various types of
data relating to each horse used for the race, a database for a
race schedule, etc., are stored.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 4, the station control unit 1200 arranged
in each station 1010 is provided with: a station control device
1201; a token managing device 1202 for managing a payout of the
token and any other similar task; a RAM 1203 for temporarily
recording various types of data of the player; a
magnetic-information reader 1204, that is identification
information reading-out unit functioning as identification
information reading-out means, for reading magnetic information,
such as an ID code etc., which is player identification
information, of the magnetic card inserted into the magnetic-card
inserting slot 1015; and a magnetic-information writer 1205 for
writing various types of information into the magnetic card. The
station control device 1201 is connected to each of the token
managing device 1202, the RAM 1203, the magnetic-information reader
1204, and the magnetic-information writer 1205. Various types of
information read out from the magnetic-information reader 1204 are
stored in the RAM 1203 which is an individual information storage
unit functioning as individual information storage means. Further,
credit data corresponding to the number of tokens dropped in the
token drop-in unit 1013 is also stored in the RAM 1203. Handling of
tokens by a player is carried out by increasing or decreasing the
credit data. The station control device 1201 is also connected to
each of units such as: the display 1011 and the touch panel 1012
(shown in FIG. 2) arranged in the station 1010; a token drop-in
sensor (not shown) for detecting the token dropped in via the token
drop-in unit 1013; and a magnetic-card driving device (not shown)
for driving the magnetic card inserted into the magnetic-card
inserting slot 1015.
[0105] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the station
control device 1201 of each station 1010 is connected to the main
control device 1101 on the game machine main body side, enabling
data communication necessary between these components.
[0106] The main control device 1101 of the main control unit 1100,
in order to realistically reproduce an actual horse race when
holding a race, changes a movement control content of each model
horse for each race according to various types of data such as a
parameter of each horse. Then, the movement control content is
determined before the start of a race, and the movement of the
model horse is controlled according to the resultant movement
control content. Concretely, before the start of a race, the main
control device 1101 of the main control unit 1100 reads out various
types of parameters of horses competing in the current race and
data such as turf condition, from the ROM 1107, so as to determine
the order of arrival for the current race. It is noted that only a
first place horse and a second place horse affect the payout of the
token to the player, and thus, it is not necessary to determine the
orders of all the horses competing in that race and it suffices to
determine at least the first place horse and the second place
horse. In this case, the movement of the other horses is controlled
according to the various types of parameters so that the other
horses do not arrive at the finish line first or second. Order of
arrival data, the parameter of each horse, etc., determined by the
main control device 1101 are forwarded to the movement control
device 1102.
[0107] The movement control device 1102 that receives the data from
the main control device 1101 executes the movement control program
recorded in a ROM (not shown) so as to perform movement control on
each horse. The movement control device 1102 executing the movement
control program calculates a moving pattern of each horse from the
parameter, etc., of each horse, and transmits a control command to
each control chip 1022 so that each model horse 1060 is moved
according to the resultant moving pattern. Concretely, in order to
generate a magnetic field allowing each model horse 1060 to move
according to the moving pattern of each horse, a control command is
transmitted to the control chip of each magnetic field
generation-use circuit board. Each control chip 1022 that receives
the control command controls a current that passes through each
coil so that a magnetic force that pulls a south pole of a
permanent magnet of each model horse 1060 along a planned moving
route of each model horse 1060 is sequentially generated. Thereby,
each model horse 1060 can be moved along the planned moving route.
As a result, each model horse 1060 of which the movement is
controlled by the movement control device 1102 develops the race in
the play field.
[0108] [Pusher Game Machine 2000]
[0109] Next, the token-operated game machine 2000 will be
explained.
[0110] The token-operated game machine 2000 is a pusher game
machine.
[0111] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining the
configuration of a station unit ST in the pusher game machine
2000.
[0112] In the pusher game machine 2000, four satellite units SA are
arranged to surround a center drawing apparatus (not shown). Each
satellite unit SA is provided with the four station units ST as
game apparatus, and each player is to individually play a game at
each station unit ST. Moreover, each satellite unit SA is provided
with one satellite drawing apparatus 2001, and around the satellite
drawing apparatus 2001, each station unit ST is lined and
placed.
[0113] The station unit ST is configured mainly by: a token drop-in
mechanism (drop-in unit) 2100; a play field 2500; a station control
unit (not shown); and a display unit 2700. In the station unit ST,
the token drop-in mechanism 2100 is placed on an upper near side,
the display unit 2700 that functions as display means is placed on
an upper far side, and the play field 2500 is placed at an upper
center. The "near side" means a side on which the player is
positioned during the game, the "far side" means a side opposite to
the side on which the player is positioned during the game, and the
"center" means an area between the "near side" and the "far
side."
[0114] The token drop-in mechanism 2100 is a mechanism for the
player to drop a token M into the pusher game machine 2000 during
the game. The token M dropped into the token drop-in mechanism 2100
is conveyed via a token conveyance route (not shown) in the
interior of the cabinet of the station unit ST to a lift-up hopper,
and the resultant token M is temporarily retained by the lift-up
hopper. The lift-up hopper includes: a token retaining unit for
accumulating the token M; the lift-up unit for lifting up the token
M to a predetermined height; and a token discharge unit (discharge
unit) for discharging the token M that is lifted up at a
predetermined timing. At a discharge opening of the token discharge
unit, arranged is a token discharge route 2400 for leading the
discharged token M to the play field 2500 in a manner to laterally
swing. An upper end of the lift-up unit is placed above the play
field 2500. As a result, the token discharge unit arranged at the
upper end of the lift-up unit is placed above the play field 2500.
Therefore, the token M temporarily accumulated in the token
retaining unit arranged below the play field 2500 is raised above
the play field 2500 by the lift-up unit, and thereafter, the raised
token M is exited via the token discharge route 2400 from the token
discharge unit, out onto the play field 2500.
[0115] Within the play field 2500, arranged mainly are: a main
table 2501 that is a token mount table for retaining thereon the
token M, and the pusher unit 2510 as a token extruding member which
is mounted on the main table 2501. The pusher unit 2510 includes: a
top surface (this is called a sub table) for retaining thereon the
token M; a sloping table on which the token M that falls from the
sub table slides; and a push-forward wall that pushes forward the
token M retained on the main table 2501. Moreover, the pusher unit
2510, which is arranged to enable sliding on the main table 2501 in
the play field 2500, makes a back-and-forth slide movement in a
constant cycle or an arbitrary cycle. A part (far side) of the
pusher unit 2510 is housed in a housing part (described later)
arranged beneath the display unit 2700. The pusher unit 2510, which
slides to come out of and into the housing part, makes a
back-and-forth reciprocating movement.
[0116] With the sub table, a frame member of the display unit 2700
comes into contact in a manner to enable sliding. Therefore, when
the pusher unit 2510 moves to a direction in which it is housed in
the housing part, the token M on the sub table is pushed forward by
the frame member. By the pushing forward, some tokens M on the sub
table fall onto the sloping table. Some tokens M that fall from the
sub table enter into an opening (this is called a "chucker") that
is a token pass-through opening arranged on the sloping table. The
remaining tokens M fall directly onto the main table 2501 and are
retained on the main table 2501.
[0117] The tokens M on the main table 2501, similar to the tokens M
on the sub table, are pushed forward by the slide movement of the
pusher unit 2510. That is, the pusher units 2510 are seamlessly
mounted on the main table 2501, and thus, when the pusher unit 2510
is moved in a discharge direction from the housing part, the tokens
M on the main table 2501 are pushed forward by the push-forward
wall on the front surface of the pusher unit 2510. By the pushing
forward, some tokens M on the main table 2501 fall. Out of the
tokens M that fall, the token M that falls from an end on the
player side (this is called a "front end") to a token fall groove
is paid to the player, and the other tokens M, e.g., the tokens M
that fall from both sides (these are called "side ends") of the
main table 2501 are stocked in a predetermined retaining unit
within the station unit ST.
[0118] Besides, as shown in FIG. 5, the station unit ST includes a
ball drop-in mechanism 2800 on at least one side. The ball drop-in
mechanism 2800 is configured to drop balls B1 and B2 that are
spherical objects (as differently shaped objects described later)
into the play field 2500, and includes a ball drop-in slope 2801
and a ball drop-in position drawing mechanism 2810. The balls B1
and B2 are objects for drawing used for executing a bingo game
described later.
[0119] The ball drop-in slope 2801, which is configured to lead the
balls B1 and B2 dropped in from a ball carrier 2520 described later
to the ball drop-in position drawing mechanism 2810 by gravity, is
formed as a downhill slope. The ball drop-in position drawing
mechanism 2810 is configured to draw a position on the play field
2500 onto which the balls B1 and B2 are dropped. Thus, the balls B1
and B2 dropped in from the ball carrier 2520 described later to the
station unit ST are dropped in via the ball drop-in slope 2801 and
the ball drop-in position drawing mechanism 2810 onto the play
field 2500.
[0120] As shown in FIG. 5, the station unit ST includes a ball
transportation mechanism 2900 on at least one side. The ball
transportation mechanism 2900 is configured, when the balls B1 and
B2 fall from the main table 2501 in the play field 2500 onto the
token fall groove arranged on the near side, to transport the balls
B1 and B2 to the satellite drawing apparatus 2001, and includes a
ball conveying route (not shown), a ball transporting unit 2910,
and a ball transporting unit traveling slope 2901. The ball
conveying route is arranged below the front end of the main table
2501, and leads the balls B1 and B2 that fall from the front end to
the ball transporting unit 2910. The ball transporting unit 2910 is
configured to transport the balls B1 and B2 received via the ball
conveying route, to the satellite drawing apparatus 2001, and
travels on the ball transporting unit traveling slope 2901
according to control of the control unit of the station unit ST.
The balls B1 and B2 transported to the satellite drawing apparatus
2001 are handed over to the ball carrier 2520.
[0121] Moreover, the station unit ST includes a token payout
mechanism 2030, and as a result of the token payout mechanism being
driven, the tokens M of which the number of pieces is equal to that
of the tokens M that fall onto the token fall groove from the front
end of the main table 2501 are discharged to the retaining unit
2101 of the token drop-in mechanism 2100.
[0122] Next, a control system of the pusher game machine 2000 will
be explained.
[0123] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a
game control system of the pusher game machine 2000. In this block
diagram, for the sake of explanation, configurations of a drive
control system for driving each unit according to the game progress
and any other systems are omitted.
[0124] The game control system of the pusher game machine 2000 is
configured mainly by: a control unit 2600 at the station unit ST; a
control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing apparatus 2001; and a
control unit 2620 of the center drawing apparatus 2002. The control
unit 2600 of the station unit ST mainly assumes a role of overall
process control of a slot game and a bingo game described later,
the control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing apparatus 2001
mainly assumes a role of control of a physical drawing of the bingo
game and transportation control of the balls B1 and B2, and the
control unit 2620 of the center drawing apparatus 2002 mainly
assumes a role of a single-unit jackpot drawing control described
later and overall control of the pusher game machine 2000.
[0125] The control unit 2600 of the station unit ST is configured
mainly by: a control device 2601; a ROM 2602; a RAM 2603; and a
communication device 2604. The control device 2601 executes various
types of programs stored in the ROM 2602 so as to perform various
types of controls. The ROM 2602 stores, for example, execution
programs for various types of controls that should be performed in
the control unit 2600 of the station unit ST. The RAM 2603 is for
temporarily storing various types of data or information. The
communication device 2604 is for performing data communication with
the control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing apparatus 2001.
Although not shown, the station unit ST includes a performance
unit, such as a speaker and an illuminating device, used for
various types of performances, and the control device 2601 controls
these performance units so as to carry out various types of
performances.
[0126] The control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing apparatus
2001 is configured mainly by: a control device 2611; a ROM 2612; a
RAM 2613; a station-side communication device 2614; and a
center-side communication device 2615. The control device 2611
executes various types of programs stored in the ROM 2612 so as to
perform various types of controls. The ROM 2612 stores, for
example, execution programs for various types of controls that
should be performed in the control unit 2610 of the satellite
drawing apparatus 2001. The RAM 2613 is for temporarily storing
various types of data or information. The station-side
communication device 2614 is for performing data communication with
the control unit 2600 of the each station unit ST belonging to the
satellite unit SA. The center-side communication device 2615 is for
performing data communication with the control unit 2620 of the
center drawing apparatus 2002. Although not shown, the satellite
unit SA includes a performance unit, such as a speaker and an
illuminating device, used for various types of performances, and
the control device 2611 controls these performance units so as to
carry out various types of performances.
[0127] The control unit 2620 of the center drawing apparatus 2002
is configured mainly by: a control device 2621; a ROM 2622; a RAM
2623; a communication device 2624; and an external communication
device 2625. The control device 2621 executes various types of
programs stored in the ROM 2622 so as to perform various types of
controls. The ROM 2622 stores, for example, execution programs for
various types of controls that should be performed in the control
unit 2620 of the center drawing apparatus 2002. The RAM 2623 is for
temporarily storing various types of data or information. The
communication device 2624 is for performing data communication with
the control unit 2610 of each satellite unit SA. The external
communication device 2625 is for performing data communication via
a LAN with an external device such as a gaming arcade server 5000.
Although not shown, the center drawing apparatus 2002 includes a
performance unit, such as a speaker and an illuminating device,
used for various types of performances, and the control device 2621
controls these performance units so as to carry out various types
of performances.
[0128] In the above-described configuration, in the pusher game
machine 2000, in addition to the pusher game, a slot game is
performed by displaying a slot game screen as shown in FIG. 7 on
the display unit 2700, and a bingo game is performed by displaying
a bingo game screen as shown in FIG. 8 on the display unit 2700. In
the pusher game machine 2000, a single-unit jackpot drawing using
the center drawing apparatus 2002 is also performed. On the display
unit 2700, a single-unit accumulated token count indicating the
number of pieces to be paid out in a single-unit jackpot drawing
described later and a total accumulated token count indicating the
number of pieces to be paid out in a total jackpot drawing
described later are displayed.
[0129] The slot game is a digital drawing game in which the control
unit 2600 at the station unit ST mainly performs a drawing
digitally. This slot game is started under the condition that the
token M enters into any one of chuckers arranged on the sloping
table at the pusher unit 2510. The slot game screen shown in FIG. 7
is displayed on the display unit 2700 during a period when the
bingo game described later does not progress. When the token M
enters into any one of the chuckers and thereby the slot drawing
start condition is satisfied, the control unit 2600 performs
display control to rotate three dice-shaped slots DS. In the
digital drawing of the slot game, the control unit executes a
predetermined drawing program, and checks a generated random number
in reference to a predetermined winning table so as to determine
whether to win any payout-symbol combination or lose. Thereafter,
where a winning payout-symbol combination is determined, the
control unit 2600 performs display control to stop the rotation of
the three dice-shaped slots DS so that a combination of symbols
relating to the winning payout-symbol combination is stopped and
displayed on the display unit 2700.
[0130] In the present embodiment 1, as a payout-symbol combination
for a digital drawing, prepared are: a minor payout-symbol
combination A in which three tokens are supplied to the play field
2500; a minor payout-symbol combination B in which eight tokens are
supplied to the play field 2500; a ball supply payout-symbol
combination in which the ball B1 is supplied to the play field
2500; a normal bonus payout-symbol combination in which thirty
tokens are supplied to the play field 2500; a probability-change
bonus payout-symbol combination in which thirty tokens are supplied
to the play field 2500 and a winning table at which a winning
probability is set to be higher is used in subsequent digital
drawings; a direct satellite payout-symbol combination in which the
ball B1 is directly supplied to the satellite drawing apparatus
2001; a direct center payout-symbol combination in which the ball
B1 is directly supplied to the center drawing apparatus 2002, and
other payout-symbol combinations. The winning probability of each
of these payout-symbol combinations is set to be lowered according
to the above-described order. It is noted that, which payout-symbol
combination is prepared or to which winning probability of each of
the payout-symbol combinations is set is determined arbitrarily.
For example, it may be possible to configure that various benefits
are given to a player such as direct payout of tokens M to the
player. Then, when these payout-symbol combinations are won, the
control device 2601 of the station unit ST controls the speaker or
the illumination device, etc., so as to carry out individual
performance to liven up the winning.
[0131] The bingo game is a physical drawing game which progresses
by a physical drawing using two types of balls B1 and B2 and the
satellite drawing apparatus 2001. The bingo game progresses by the
control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing apparatus 2001 and the
control unit 2600 at the station unit ST. In the bingo game, the
control unit 2610 of the satellite drawing apparatus 2001 mainly
controls a drawing for determining winning bingo numbers of the
bingo game. The control unit 2600 of each of the station units ST
belonging to the satellite unit SA including the satellite drawing
apparatus 2001 is mainly in charge of controlling the performance
of the bingo game, a decision of the establishment of BINGO, and so
on. In the present embodiment 1, the balls B1 and B2 are moved by
the satellite drawing apparatus 2001, by which a physical drawing
is performed in which one winning bingo number (a winning target)
is selected from a plurality of bingo numbers (drawing targets)
different from each other. In the physical drawing of the present
embodiment 1, one winning bingo number is selected from the bingo
numbers of "1" through "9". Then, array information of the bingo
card having these bingo numbers of "1" through "9" arrayed in a
matrix is generated individually for each of the station units ST
by the control unit 2600 that is as an array-information producing
unit which functions as array-information producing means for the
station unit ST, for example. Thereafter, a bingo card image BC in
which images of the bingo numbers of "1" through "9" (drawing
target images) are arrayed according to the array information is
displayed on the display unit 2700 of each of the station units ST,
as shown in FIG. 8. Then, when the BINGO is established, the
control device 2601 of the station unit ST or the control device
2611 of the satellite unit SA each controls the speaker, the
illuminating device, etc., so as to carry out an individual
performance to liven up the establishment of BINGO.
[0132] In the single-unit jackpot drawing, when either one of
conditions under which the single-unit jackpot drawing is started
is satisfied, i.e., the balls B1 and B2 are thrown into a winning
spot to which a right of starting a single-unit jackpot drawing in
the center drawing apparatus 2002 in the physical drawing in the
satellite drawing apparatus 2001 in the above-described bingo game
is assigned, or the center combination is directly won in the
above-described slot game, the control device 2621 of the control
unit 2620 in the center drawing apparatus 2002 executes a
single-unit jackpot execution program stored in the ROM 2622 so as
to start the single-unit jackpot drawing. Then, in the center
drawing apparatus 2002, the ball B1 is moved thereby to perform the
physical drawing that determines whether a single-unit jackpot
award is won or lost (including a case where awards other than the
single-unit jackpot award are won). When the single-unit jackpot
award is won, the control device 2621 of the center drawing
apparatus 2002 controls the speaker, the illuminating device, etc.,
so as to carry out an individual performance to liven up the
winning of the single-unit jackpot award.
[0133] Moreover, when the single-unit jackpot award is won, the
control device 2621 reads out the single-unit JP retaining count
data that is payout amount data from the RAM 2623, and performs a
process for supplying the tokens M having the number of pieces
indicated by a count value of that data, to the play field 2500 of
the station unit ST that has satisfied the condition under which
the jackpot drawing is started. At this time, another option would
be: a token supply command is output to the control device 2601 of
the control unit 2600 at the station unit ST from the control
device 2621, and under the control of the control device 2601, the
token M is supplied to the play field 2500 by using a method
similar to a normal token supply process. In this case, however,
the number of pieces of tokens to be supplied when the single-unit
jackpot award is won is obtained by accumulatively adding the
number of pieces equivalent to a part of the number of pieces of
tokens to be dropped into all the station units ST (for example,
0.03 pieces) from a time when the single-unit JP retaining count
data is reset to an initial value (for example, 500 pieces),
therefore, it is a great number. For this reason, instead of the
normal token supply process, a process using an original token
supply mechanism may be optionally adopted. This is preferable as a
performance carried out when the single-unit jackpot award is won.
Moreover, when the single-unit jackpot award is won, the control
device 2621 resets the single-unit JP retaining count data stored
in the RAM 2623, to the initial value.
[0134] [Slot Machine 3000]
[0135] Next, the token-operated game machine 3000 will be
explained.
[0136] The token-operated game machine 3000 is a slot machine as a
game apparatus.
[0137] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the outline of a slot
machine 3000 according to the present embodiment 1.
[0138] The slot machine 3000 includes a box-type cabinet 3002, a
front panel 3003 attached to a front surface side of the cabinet
3002 in a freely openable and closable manner, and other
components. On the front panel 3003, arranged are: a display window
3004 for displaying part of a varying display unit described later;
a token drop-in opening 3005; a start button 3006 as a start
operation device; a dice display window 3007; a credit settlement
button 3008; a speaker 3009; a token receiving tray 3010 having a
token payout opening 3010a; a performance panel 3011; a count
display unit 3014; a BET operation unit 3015; and so on. The
speaker 3009 and the performance panel 3011 that are performance
units function as performance means of the slot machine 3000.
Moreover, on the performance panel 3011, various types of
information such as a total accumulated token count indicating the
number of pieces of payouts in the total jackpot drawing described
later are displayed.
[0139] Inside the cabinet 3002, three reels that as three varying
display units of which the outer peripheral surface is printed with
a plurality of types of symbols are assembled. The three reels
(hereinafter, in the order of a "left reel", a "middle reel", and a
"right reel") are each rotated and driven by a reel drive motor
(not shown) configured by a stepping motor. These reels are printed
with a plurality of types of symbols such as "white 7", "blue 7",
"green 7", "red 7", "cherry", and "blank" in a predetermined order.
In the present embodiment 1, the symbol of "blank" configures
neither one of the payout-symbol combinations. A main control
circuit board on which electronic circuits are formed by various
types of electronic components such as a CPU and a ROM, a token
payout device having a token hopper capable of containing a large
number of pieces of tokens, an internal speaker, and any other
similar components are also assembled.
[0140] FIG. 10 is a detailed front view showing part of the front
panel 3003.
[0141] Symbols formed by about three images at a predetermined
rotation position of each reel are to be visually recognized by a
player through the display window 3004. In this display window
3004, five winning lines IL are depicted across all of the reels.
When symbols relating to a payout-symbol combination corresponding
to an award group previously defined on these winning lines IL
become all the same in a combination (hereinafter, this is simply
referred to as the "symbols become all the same in a payout-symbol
combination"), a game value is imparted to a player, such as the
tokens are paid out to the token receiving tray 3010 and a current
period is moved to a special game period during which a special
game can be played. It is noted that, in the slot machine 3000
according to the embodiment 1, the five winning lines IL are
arranged; however, the number of winning lines may be optionally
increased or decreased. Moreover, the winning line may suffice to
be visually recognized by a CPU 17a, described later, for
performing stop control of the slot machine, rather than to be
visually recognized by the player.
[0142] The count display unit 3014 is provided with a credit
display 3014a, a bonus-count display 3014b, a token payout count
display 3014c, etc.
[0143] The BET operation unit 3015 is configured by two buttons,
i.e., a 1BET button 3015a and a max BET button 3015b.
[0144] FIG. 11 is a control block diagram relating to a main
configuration of the slot machine 3000. The main control unit 3100
of the slot machine 3000 includes: a control device 3101; a reel
control device 3102 for performing drive control for the three
reels; a storage device 3103 in which various types of programs
necessary for the game, various types of databases, etc., are
stored; a display control device 3104 for performing display
control of the count display unit 3014; an illumination control
device 3105 for controlling illumination of the performance panel
3011, etc.; an audio control device 3106 for controlling a sound
output from the speaker 3009; and an external communication device
3107 for performing a data communication with an external apparatus
such as the gaming arcade server 5000 via a LAN. The main control
device 1101 is connected not only to these devices but also to, for
example, the token drop-in sensor 3022, the BET operation unit
3015, and the token payout device 3018.
[0145] Next, a flow of the game of the slot machine 3000 will be
explained.
[0146] Before the game is started, as a preparation, a player first
needs to drop a token into the token drop-in opening 3005. When a
token is dropped by the player into the token drop-in opening 3005,
the token passes through a passage (not shown) and falls onto the
token hopper. In this passage, various components are arranged such
as a fall opening through which a token smaller than a standard
falls back to the token payout opening 3010a, a token block
solenoid for returning or permitting the token to the token payout
opening 3010a by blocking the passage of the token, and a token
drop-in sensor 3022 configured by, for example, a photo sensor for
detecting the passed tokens one by one. A token detection signal
output from the token drop-in sensor 3022 that detects the token is
forwarded to the control device 3101 of the main control unit 3100.
In receipt thereof, by means of the display control device 3104,
the control device 3101 performs control to increase a display
count value by one on the credit display 3014a and to increase a
value of credit count data stored in the storage device 3103 by
one. Normally, a plurality of pieces of tokens are dropped in at
once so as to increase the number of pieces of credit to a certain
extent. When the player operates the BET operation unit 3015 to
perform a bet operation, the control device 3101 decreases the
value of the credit count data stored in the storage device 3103 by
as much as the number of pieces to be bet, and at the same time,
performs control to decrease the display count value on the credit
display 3014a by as much as the number of pieces to be bet.
Moreover, the control device 3101 recognizes the winning line IL
that has become effective according to the number of pieces to be
bet. It is noted that, unless the symbols become all the same in
the payout-symbol combination on the effective winning line IL, the
winning is not granted even when the symbols become all the same in
the payout-symbol combination on an ineffective winning line
IL.
[0147] When the start button 3006 is operated by the player, the
control device 3101 that is a start-command receiving unit executes
a start-command receiving program stored in the storage device 3103
thereby to function as start-command receiving means so as to
receive a varying-display start command from its start button 3006.
The control device 3101 that has received this varying-display
start command, first, starts rotation drive of all the reels by the
reel control device 3102. Further, the control device 3101 that has
received the varying-display start command executes an award-group
drawing program stored in the storage device 3103 so as to perform
an internal drawing. In this case, the control device 3101
functions as means for performing an internal drawing to determine
a winning in which any award group is selected out of a plurality
of award groups or a loss in which neither award group is selected.
The internal drawing is performed by checking random number data
forwarded from a random-number generating circuit with a value on
an award group drawing table stored in the storage device 3103. On
this award-group drawing table, each random number is associated
with any award group or the loss. As a result of such an
association, any one of the award groups is won at an individual
predetermined probability, or the loss occurs at a predetermined
probability.
[0148] Rotation positions of the reels that start the rotation
drive are respectively detected by a reel position sensor (not
shown). The reel control device 3102 performs an arithmetic
operation on the rotation speed of the reel based on an output
signal from each reel position sensor. When the rotation speed of
the reel is stabilized, the reel control device 3102 becomes
capable of recognizing a position of each symbol on each reel based
on the output signal from each reel position sensor. Then, the
control device 3101 executes a stop control program stored in the
storage device 3103, and based on a drawing result of the
above-described internal drawing, performs stop control of the reel
by the reel control device 3102 so that a combination of
predetermined symbols is stopped and displayed on the winning line.
Concretely, when any one of the award groups is won by the internal
drawing, the control device 3101 performs stop control so that a
combination of symbols relating to a payout-symbol combination
corresponding to the award group that has won is stopped and
displayed on the winning line IL. On the other hand, in the case of
the loss as a result of neither one of the award groups being
selected by the internal drawing, the control device 3101 performs
stop control so that a combination of symbols corresponding to
neither award group is stopped and displayed on the winning line
IL.
[0149] In a normal game, the internal drawing is performed by using
an award-group drawing table corresponding to that normal game.
Examples of award groups that may be won by the internal drawing of
this normal game include token payout awards of: a cherry award
corresponding to a cherry combination formed by "cherry-ANY (any
symbol pattern)-ANY (any symbol pattern)"; an ANY7 award
corresponding to an ANY7 combination formed by a plurality of
colors of "7" that are "ANY7 (any color of "7")-ANY7 (any color of
"7")-ANY7 (any color of "7")"; a white 7 award corresponding to a
white 7 combination formed by "white 7-white 7-white 7"; a blue 7
award corresponding to a blue 7 combination formed by "blue 7-blue
7-blue 7"; a green 7 award corresponding to a green 7 combination
formed by "green 7-green 7-green 7"; and a red 7 award
corresponding to a red 7 combination formed by "red 7-red 7-red 7."
When any one of the token payout awards is won as a result of the
internal drawing and the symbols corresponding thereto become all
the same in a winning combination on the winning line IL, the
control device 3101 causes the token payout count display 3014c of
the count display unit 3014 to display the number of pieces of
tokens to be paid out corresponding to the winning award. Then, the
control device 3101 performs a token payout process for paying out
the number of pieces of tokens corresponding to the winning award.
Concretely, the control device 3101 increases a value of the credit
count data stored in the storage device 3103 by as much as the
number of pieces of tokens to be paid out, and at the same time,
performs control to increase the token credit on the credit display
3014a by as much as the number of pieces of tokens to be paid out.
When a token credit upper limit value is exceeded, the exceeded
amount is paid out to the token receiving tray 3010 from the token
payout opening 3010a by the token payout device 3018. According to
the order in which the above-described award groups are described,
the number of pieces of tokens that are paid out is larger.
[0150] [Jackpot System]
[0151] Next, the total jackpot drawing performed in the whole
system will be explained.
[0152] FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of the management server
4000 for performing progress control of the total jackpot drawing
which is performed together with each gaming arcade server
5000.
[0153] The management server 4000 is configured mainly by a control
device 4001, a storage device 4002 and an external communication
device 4003. The storage device 4002 stores various types of
control programs, and stores total accumulated token count data
that is payout amount data of the whole system. The external
communication device 4003 is for performing data communication via
a WAN with an external apparatus such as the gaming arcade server
5000 at each gaming arcade.
[0154] FIG. 13 is a control block diagram of the gaming arcade
server 5000 for managing a system within each gaming arcade and
also performing data communication between the management server
4000 and each token-operated game machine at the gaming arcade.
[0155] The gaming arcade server 5000 is configured mainly by a
control device 5001, a storage device 5002, an external
communication device 5003 and an intra-arcade communication device
5004. The storage device 5002 stores various types of control
programs. The storage device 5002 stores intra-arcade accumulated
token count data that is a part of the tokens consumed in the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 within the gaming
arcade constituting the game system, and also stores the total
accumulated token count data forwarded from the management server
4000. The external communication device 5003 is for performing data
communication via a WAN with an external apparatus such as the
management server 4000. The external communication device 5003 is
for performing data communication via a LAN with each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000, etc.
[0156] FIG. 14 is a sequence flowchart showing a flow of the total
jackpot drawing in the present embodiment 1. In FIG. 14, for the
sake of explanation, only one token-operated game machine and one
gaming arcade server are described.
[0157] In the game system, when a player consumes the tokens in
each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, data
indicating a consumption amount is forwarded to the gaming arcade
server 5000 located in its gaming arcade.
[0158] Based on the data forwarded from each of the token-operated
game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, the control device 5001 of the
gaming arcade server 5000 accumulatively stores, as the
intra-arcade accumulated token count data, a part of the tokens
(for example, 0.01 pieces) consumed by the player in the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 within the gaming
arcade connected to this gaming arcade server 5000 into the storage
device 5002. Then, the control device 5001 transmits the
intra-arcade accumulated token count data in the storage device
5002 to the management server 4000 at a predetermined timing. It is
noted that the intra-arcade accumulated token count data to be
transmitted this time is as much as that accumulatively stored
between a last transmission time point and a current transmission
time point.
[0159] At each reception of the intra-arcade accumulated token
count data forwarded from each gaming arcade server 5000, the
management server 4000 accumulatively adds the number of pieces of
tokens indicated by the received data to the total accumulated
token count data in the storage device 4002. Thereby, a part of the
number of pieces of tokens (for example, 0.01 pieces) consumed in
all the token-operated game machines constituting the present game
system is added up as the total accumulated token count data. In
the present embodiment 1, for example, an initial value of the
total accumulated token count data is 1000 pieces of tokens and a
part of the number of pieces of tokens consumed by the player is
accumulatively added to this initial value.
[0160] In the present embodiment 1, also in the above-described
pusher game machine 2000, the single-unit jackpot drawing is
performed, and the accumulated token count data of the single-unit
jackpot drawing is obtained by calculation only from the number of
pieces of tokens consumed in that pusher game machine 2000. On the
other hand, the accumulated token count data of the total jackpot
drawing managed and run by the management server 4000 is obtained
by calculation from the number of pieces of tokens consumed by all
the token-operated game machines constituting the present game
system. As a result, it is possible to increase the number of
pieces of tokens to be paid out to a winner when the winner wins
the jackpot drawing.
[0161] A specific process flow will be now explained. The control
device 4001 of the management server 4000 receives the intra-arcade
accumulated token count data transmitted from each gaming arcade
server 5000 at a predetermined timing (for example, at intervals of
10 minutes) thereby, first, to perform a process for accumulatively
adding to the total accumulated token count data in the storage
device 4002, as shown in FIG. 14. Thereafter, the total accumulated
token count data stored in the storage device 4002 at this time
point is transmitted to the gaming arcade server 5000 that is a
transmission source of the intra-arcade accumulated token count
data that is received immediately before. The gaming arcade server
5000 that receives the total accumulated token count data transmits
the same 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 receive that data, respective displays of
the total accumulated token count are updated based on the received
total accumulated token count data. In the present embodiment 1,
the total numbers of pieces of accumulated tokens are individually
displayed in each token-operated game machine. In this case, a
display device for displaying the total accumulated token count may
be arranged within the gaming arcade in order to omit the
individual display in each token-operated game machine.
[0162] The total jackpot drawing in the present embodiment 1 is
started under the condition that the management server 4000
receives the intra-arcade accumulated token count data from the
gaming arcade server 5000.
[0163] In the present embodiment 1, when receiving the intra-arcade
accumulated token count data from each gaming arcade server 5000,
the control device 4001 of the management server 4000 executes the
total jackpot drawing program so as to perform a
gaming-arcade-drawing as a group drawing firstly. In the
gaming-arcade-drawing, a drawing is performed so as to determine
whether the gaming arcade of the transmission source of that data
is won or lost by checking the generated random number in reference
to the predetermined winning table. When the winning is determined
in the gaming arcade drawing, the control device 4001 transmits
winning data to the effect that the gaming arcade server 5000 is
won in the gaming arcade drawing, to the gaming arcade server 5000
that has transmitted the intra-arcade accumulated token count data
that is a condition for starting the drawing.
[0164] Another method therefor may include the following, for
example. That is, when receiving the intra-arcade accumulated token
count data from any one of the gaming arcade servers 5000, the
control device 4001 of the management server 4000 executes the
total jackpot drawing program so as to perform the gaming arcade
drawing to determine which one of the gaming arcades win or neither
one of the gaming arcades win by checking the generated random
number in reference to the predetermined winning table. In this
gaming arcade drawing, the winning gaming arcade may not
necessarily be determined. Therefore, there is a case where neither
one of the gaming arcades wins in the gaming arcade drawing. When
winning of any one of the gaming arcades is determined in the
gaming arcade drawing, the control device 4001 transmits the
winning data to the effect that the gaming arcade server 5000 is
won in the gaming arcade drawing, to the gaming arcade server 5000
(of the gaming arcade) relating to that winning.
[0165] It is noted that the condition for starting the total
jackpot drawing is not limited to the above-described condition but
may include any condition as long as it may occur at suitable time
intervals. In particular, according to the present embodiment 1, it
is possible to provide a condition which is not related to a game
play played by a player with each of the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, 3000. For example, a condition that a
predetermined constant time elapses may be regard as a total
jackpot drawing start condition. Further, for example, arrival of a
predetermined time may be regard as the total jackpot drawing start
condition or instructions for starting a game by an employee of a
gaming arcade may be regard as the total jackpot drawing start
condition.
[0166] The gaming arcade server 5000 that has received the winning
data performs a process for determining, as a winner for the total
jackpot award, which one of the players who plays in the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the
gaming arcade server 5000 in the gaming arcade. In this process, it
is informed that there is a winner for the total jackpot drawing
within the gaming arcade. In this way, a sense of expectation (such
as any player can be a winner) is grown and an interest in who has
won the game is developed. In doing so, an advance notification
performance (hereinafter, referred to as a "total jackpot
performance") is carried out for getting attention of, for example,
the player and the audience in the whole gaming arcade. This total
jackpot performance needs to be carried out simultaneously at all
the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 in the gaming
arcade, and in this case, due to a certain reason related to the
game progress at each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000, a timing at which the performance is carried out
(total jackpot performance timing) needs to be adjusted. Because at
each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, the
game is individually progressed, and thus, depending on a certain
progress situation, the progress of that game may be impeded by the
total jackpot performance, resulting in an undesirable case where a
sense of enjoyment of the player is greatly decreased.
[0167] For example, in the horse-racing game machine 1000, if the
total jackpot performance is suddenly started at a time when a race
is reproduced by using the field unit 1002, the excitement of the
game originally provided in that horse-racing game machine is
significantly decreased, hence not preferable. Further, in the
pusher game machine 2000, if the total jackpot performance is
suddenly started in the middle of a drawing where a large amount of
tokens to be paid out can be expected such as in a physical drawing
of the bingo game and the single-unit jackpot drawing, the
excitement of the game originally provided in that pusher game
machine is significantly decreased, hence not preferable. Moreover,
in the slot machine 3000, if the total jackpot performance is
suddenly started in the middle of the winning performance when a
large amount of tokens to be paid out such as in the green 7 award
and the red 7 award is determined, the joy of the player is
significantly decreased, hence, not preferable.
[0168] On the other hand, at each of the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, there is a timing at which adverse
effect (such as decreasing the enjoyment originally provided in
that token-operated game machine) is less caused even when the
individual game progress is impeded by the total jackpot
performance. For example, in the horse-racing game machine 1000, at
a timing used for betting a token by the player, i.e., a timing
used for purchasing a betting ticket, the adverse effect is less
caused. Thus, this timing is suitable for starting the total
jackpot performance. Further, for example, in the pusher game
machine 2000, at a timing except for a middle of a drawing where a
large amount of tokens to be paid out can be expected or a middle
of the winning performance therefore, the adverse effect is less
caused. Thus, this timing is suitable for starting the total
jackpot performance. Moreover, for example, in the slot machine
3000, at a timing from a first slot game is ended to a subsequent
slot game is started, concretely, from a time after the loss is
determined in the last slot game or after the winning performance
is ended to a time before the start button 3006 of the subsequent
slot game is operated, the adverse effect is caused less. Thus,
this timing is suitable for starting the total jackpot
performance.
[0169] In each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and
3000 of the present embodiment 1, the game progress situations
illustrated here are set in advance as situations where the total
jackpot performance can be carried out.
[0170] FIG. 15 is a sequence flowchart for explaining a determining
process of the total jackpot performance timing.
[0171] The gaming arcade server 5000 that has received the winning
data, first, inquires all the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000 through the LAN of a timing at which the game
progress situation becomes capable of carrying out the total
jackpot performance. In response to this inquiry, the control
devices 1101, 2621, and 3101 that are timing anticipation
processing units of the respective token-operated game machines
1000, 2000, and 3000 function as timing anticipation processing
means, solely or working together with the other control devices
1201, 2601, and 2611, and execute a timing anticipation program so
as to perform a process for predicting a timing at which each game
progress situation becomes the above-described setting situation
previously determined.
[0172] Then, the control devices 1101, 2621, and 3101 of the
respective token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 send
total performance enabling timing information indicating the
anticipated timing, back to the gaming arcade server 5000 from the
external communication devices 1108, 2625, and 3107. The control
device 5001 that is a total performance timing determining unit of
the gaming arcade server 5000 functions as total performance timing
determining means, and based on the total performance enabling
timing information forwarded from each of the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, determines the total performance
timing at which the total jackpot performance is carried out.
Concretely, based on each total performance enabling timing
information, an earliest timing at which the total performance
enabling timings of all the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000 overlap is specified, and the resultant timing is
determined as a total performance timing. Then, information on the
determined total performance timing is transmitted to each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. In each
token-operated game machine that has received the information, at
the determined total performance timing, the game progress is
controlled so that the game progress situation at each
token-operated game machine becomes the above-described
predetermined setting situation where the total jackpot performance
can be carried out. A specific method of controlling is as follows:
the above-described setting situation is stored in each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, the stored
information on the setting situation is read out to perform the
game progress control, or the above-described setting situation is
previously installed in a game progress control-use program, and
the game progress control is performed according to a content of
that program.
[0173] It is noted that, in order for the game progress situation
to become the above-described setting situation at the exact timing
of the total performance timing determined by the control device
5001 of the gaming arcade server 5000, it may need to perform a
fine adjustment for the game progress in the individual
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000.
[0174] As examples of a method for the fine adjustment in the
horse-racing game machine 1000, a reproducing time of a race
reproduction movie is shortened or lengthened in a reproducing
process of a race reproduction movie executed after each race is
ended. Concretely, the reproducing time may be shortened or
lengthened by setting a time for starting the reproduction of the
race reproduction movie in a middle stage of the race or a final
stage thereof.
[0175] Further, another method for the fine adjustment in the
pusher game machine 2000 is as follows: in the slot game executed
at each station unit ST, the fine adjustment is performed by
display control to lengthen or shorten a time from which the
rotation of the three dice-shaped slots DS is started until it is
stopped. Concretely, a speed for reproducing video from the start
of the rotation of the three dice-shaped slots DS to the stop
thereof may be lengthened or shortened, for example. In this case,
there is no need of editing the video itself, thus, the display
process is easy.
[0176] Moreover, the method for the fine adjustment in the slot
machine 3000 is as follows: the fine adjustment is performed by
drive control in which a time from a start of the rotation of the
three reels to a stop thereof is lengthened or shortened.
[0177] The method for the fine adjustment is not limited to those
described above, and it is determined, where appropriate, depending
on a game content, etc., of each of the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, and 3000.
[0178] In particular, in a game machine in which a digital drawing
is performed, a method for lengthening or shortening a time period
during which drawing performance-use video is displayed is
effective as in the case of the above-described pusher game machine
2000.
[0179] It is noted that the method for determining the total
performance timing is not limited to those described above.
[0180] For example, the control device 5001 that is a performance
timing determining unit of the gaming arcade server 5000 is
functioned as performance timing determining means. In doing so,
rather than inquiring each of the token-operated game machines
1000, 2000, and 3000 of the total performance enabling timing, the
total performance timing is determined according to a predetermined
total performance timing determining condition. Then, the
determined total performance timing is transmitted to each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, and the game
progress control is performed in each token-operated game machine
so that the game progress situation at each token-operated game
machine becomes the above-described predetermined setting situation
in which the total jackpot performance can be carried out at the
determined total performance timing. This method is effective
particularly when the token-operated game machine constituting the
present game system is high in the degree of freedom of the control
of the game progress situation.
[0181] When the total performance timing determined by the gaming
arcade server 5000 arrives, as shown in FIG. 14, the control device
5001 of the gaming arcade server 5000 performs a player presence
confirming process for recognizing the players who play at each of
the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. Concretely,
all the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 are
inquired through the LAN of whether a player is present at each
game machine. In the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and
3000 that have been inquired, the player presence confirming
process according to the respective game content is performed.
[0182] Since the player is able to play the game with each of the
plurality of stations in the horse-racing game machine 1000, a
process for confirming whether the player who plays the game is
present at each of the stations is performed. The confirmation
method includes a method for confirming whether a player is present
at each station, for example, based on a timing when the ID code,
that is, the player identification information, is read out from
the magnetic card inserted into the magnetic-card inserting slot
1015.
[0183] More specifically, the station control device 1201 stores in
the RAM 1203 identification information reading-out timing
information as decision information for specifying a timing when
the magnetic-information reader 1204 reads out the ID code from the
magnetic card at a timing when the player inserts the magnetic card
into the magnetic-card inserting slot 1015 or at a subsequent
predetermined timing. This identification information reading-out
timing information may be data itself indicating a timing when the
ID code is read out (time data) or flag information. Thereafter,
upon receipt of an inquiry for confirming the player presence, the
station control device 1201, which is a decision information
detecting unit, functions as decision information detecting means
and determines on the basis of the identification information
reading-out timing information stored in the RAM 1203 whether a
time elapsed from the latest timing of reading out the ID code to
the present point in time passes over a predetermined constant time
(specified period). Where the identification information
reading-out timing information is data itself indicating a timing
when the ID code is read out (time data), a determination may be
made by whether a difference between a time indicated by the data
and the present point in time is smaller than a predetermined time.
Further, where the identification information reading-out timing
information is the flag information, for example, survival time of
the flag information is set to be a constant time predetermined as
described above (specified period) and a determination may be made
by confirming whether the flag information is provided (survival).
As described above, a confirmation method based on the
identification information reading-out timing information can be
utilized in a game apparatus which controls game progress according
to individual information corresponding to player identification
information read out from an identification information storing
medium which stores the player identification information.
[0184] Further, since the player is able to play the game with each
of the plurality of station units also in the pusher game machine
2000, a process for confirming whether a player who plays the game
is present at each of the station units is performed. The
confirmation method includes, for example, a method for deciding
that a player is present at the station unit having tokens on the
retaining unit 2101 of the token drop-in structure 2100. More
specifically, a sensor which is a decision information detecting
unit functioning as decision information detecting means for
detecting the presence of the tokens on the retaining unit 2101 is
provided. When the sensor determines that a token is present on the
retaining unit 2101, a determination is made that the player who
plays a game is present. This confirmation method can be utilized
in a game apparatus which is provided with a retaining unit for
retaining tokens used by a player for playing a game.
[0185] Further, since the player plays the game alone in the slot
machine 3000, a process for confirming whether the player is
present at the slot machine 3000 is performed. The confirmation
method includes, for example, a method for deciding that a player
is present where one or more pieces of credit count data are stored
in the storage device 3103. Alternatively, there is a method for
deciding that a player is present where one or more pieces of
credit count data are stored in the storage device 3103. This
confirmation method can be utilized in a game apparatus for storing
tokens used by a player as credit data.
[0186] It is noted that a method for confirming the player presence
is not limited to those described above, and may adopt any other
method.
[0187] For example, as with the above-described token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, 3000, if a machine is provided with a station
control unit 1200, a control unit 2600 of the station unit ST and a
main control unit 3100, which are a bet-object receiving unit and a
payout processing unit, functioning as bet-object receiving means
for receiving bet objects and payout processing means which
performs a payout process for paying out to a player an amount of
payout objects corresponding to an amount of bet objects received
on the basis of the result of game progress controlled by a game
progressing unit, the following method may be adopted. That is,
receipt timing information for specifying a timing when bet objects
(tokens and others) are received by the bet-object receiving unit
is detected and stored, then, a determination is made on the basis
of the receipt timing information for whether a time elapsed from
the latest timing of receiving bet objects to a point in time of
being inquired for confirmation of the player presence passes over
a predetermined constant time (specified period). Where the time is
determined not to pass over, it is highly likely that a player may
play a game. Therefore, the result of this determination can be
used as useful information for determining that a player plays a
game. It is noted that the receipt timing information may include
timing indicating data itself (time data) and flag information as
with the above-described identification information reading-out
timing information.
[0188] Further, for example, as with the above-described
horse-racing game machine 1000 and the slot machine 3000, if a
machine is provided with the RAM 1203 and the storage device 3103
which are a credit data storage unit functioning as credit data
storing means for storing credit data as well as the station
control unit 1200 and the main control unit 3100 which are a
bet-object receiving unit and a credit processing unit functioning
as bet-object receiving means for receiving bet objects and credit
processing means for performing a credit process in which a part of
credit data corresponding to an amount of bet objects received is
decreased from credit data stored in the credit data storage unit
and also a part of credit data corresponding to an amount of bet
objects received by the bet-object receiving unit is increased on
the basis of the result of a game, the following method may be
adopted. That is, credit change timing information for specifying a
timing of change in credit data is detected and stored, and then a
determination is made on the basis of the credit change timing
information for whether a time elapsed from the latest timing of
change in the credit data to a point in time of being inquired for
confirmation of the player presence passes over a predetermined
constant time (specified period). Where the time is determined not
to pass over, it is highly likely that a player may play a game.
Therefore, the result of this determination can be used as useful
information for determining that the player plays a game. It is
noted that the credit change timing information may include data
indicating timing itself (time data) and flag information, as with
the above-described identification information reading-out timing
information.
[0189] Further, for example, as with the above-described
horse-racing game machine 1000 and the slot machine 3000, if a
machine is provided with the touch panel 1012, the start button
3006, the BET operating unit 3015, etc., which are a game operation
accepting unit functioning as game operation accepting means for
accepting the game operation of a player, thereby controlling game
progress according to the operation thereof, the following method
may be adopted. That is, game operation timing information for
specifying a timing when the game operation has been accepted by
the game operation accepting unit is detected and stored, and then
a determination is made on the basis of this game operation timing
information for whether a time elapsed from the latest timing of
accepting the game operation to a point in time of being inquired
for confirmation of the player presence passes over a predetermined
constant time (specified period). Where the time is determined not
to pass over, it is highly likely that a player may play a game.
Therefore, the result of this determination can be used as useful
information for determining that the player plays a game. It is
noted that the game operation timing information may include data
indicating timing itself (time data) and flag information as with
the above-described identification information reading-out timing
information.
[0190] Further, as another example, there is a (stock) type of game
machine in which a right for activating a slot unit or other
miniature drawing apparatus in a pusher game machine and others is
obtained by dropping a token into a predetermined winning slot and
the right can be retained accumulatively until consumed. In this
type of game machine, a player may be determined to play a game in
a state where stock remains.
[0191] Further, for example, in the above-described token-operated
game machines 1000, 2000, 3000, when a player plays a game, a place
at which the player is located is substantially fixed. In this type
of game apparatus, the following method can be adopted. That is, a
presence detecting unit is provided such as an infrared radiation
sensor or a touch sensor which detects the player presence at the
place. Upon receipt of an inquiry for confirming the player
presence, the presence detecting unit determines whether the player
is present. Where the presence is detected in this determination,
it is highly likely that a player may play a game. Therefore, the
determination result that the time is within the period, can be
used as useful information for determining that the player plays a
game.
[0192] The above-described methods for confirming the player
presence are able to increase the accuracy of determination
effectively by combining these methods with each other to evaluate
results determined by each of the methods in a comprehensive manner
and determining finally whether the player plays a game. It is
noted that the final determination is made in each game apparatus
and the result of the final determination may be transmitted to the
gaming arcade server 5000. Alternatively, the final determination
may be made in the gaming arcade server 5000 or the management
server 4000. In the present embodiment 1, an explanation will be
made for a case where the final determination is made in each game
apparatus and the result of the final determination is transmitted
to the gaming arcade server 5000.
[0193] Each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and
3000 performs the player presence confirming process, and then,
sends back presence confirming information that is the decision
result of that confirming process to the gaming arcade server 5000
from the external communication devices 1108, 2625, and 3107. The
control device 5001 of the gaming arcade server 5000 recognizes the
station or the station unit or the slot machine played by the
player (hereinafter, referred to as a "station and others") which
are specified based on the presence confirming information
forwarded from each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000,
and 3000. Then, the control device 5001 executes a winner
determination drawing program so as to perform a winner
determination drawing process for determining which drawing target
is won while respectively regarding the recognized station and
others as the drawing targets. Concretely, a winning table on which
each drawing target is assigned an equal winning probability is
generated, and a drawing target corresponding to a random number
generated based on the winning table is chosen, thereby determining
the winning of the chosen drawing target. In the present embodiment
1, in the winner determination drawing process, in addition to the
total jackpot award, prepared are: a big winning with a fixed
number of pieces of tokens (big bonus award), a medium winning with
a fixed number of pieces of tokens (middle bonus award), and a
small winning with a fixed number of pieces of tokens (small bonus
award). Therefore, for these awards, the control device 5001
sequentially determines the winning drawing target by using the
above-described method.
[0194] It is noted that the winning probability of each drawing
target is set equally; however, it is not always the case. For
example, in the gaming arcade server 5000, token consumption data
is regularly received from each of the token-operated game machines
1000, 2000, and 3000, and thus, the degree of contribution
contributed to an increase in the total accumulated token count
data of this time per each of the token-operated game machines
1000, 2000, and 3000 (i.e., a ratio of the token consumption data
received from each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000,
and 3000 for the purpose of increasing the total accumulated token
count data of this time) can be specified. For the drawing target
corresponding to the token-operated game machine with a high ratio,
the winning probability may be relatively increased, and for the
drawing target corresponding to the token-operated game machine
with a lower ratio, the winning probability may be relatively
decreased.
[0195] The winner determination drawing process is ended in this
way, and the station and others that have won each award are
determined. Then, the control device 5001 that is a control command
transmitting unit of the gaming arcade server 5000 functions as
control command transmitting means, informs each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 of the winning
result, and at the same time, transmits the total performance
control command to each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000.
[0196] Thereby, the total jackpot performance that utilizes the
performance unit of each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000 connected to the gaming arcade server 5000 is
carried out.
[0197] Next, the total jackpot performance will be explained.
[0198] In each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and
3000 that has received the total performance control command from
the gaming arcade server 5000, jackpot start screens to the effect
that a total jackpot drawing is started as shown in FIG. 16 are
simultaneously displayed on the display 1011, the display unit
2700, and the performance panel 3011 that are display units of the
station and others relating to the drawing target. At the station
and others that are not the drawing targets, i.e., the station and
others at which it is decided that a player is not playing the
game, this jackpot start screen is not displayed.
[0199] In the present embodiment 1, at the station and others that
are not drawing targets, a player is capable of playing a game of
the token-operated game machine even during the total jackpot
performance. Thus, there is a probability that during the total
jackpot performance, an individual performance according to the
game progress at the station and others that are not the drawing
target is carried out. However, it is probable that if an
individual performance not related to the total jackpot performance
is carried out during the total jackpot performance, the total
jackpot performance is impeded by the individual performance,
thereby decreasing a good characteristic of the total jackpot
performance. Therefore, in the present embodiment 1, the station
and others that are not the drawing targets are controlled so that
the individual performance according to the game progress is not
carried out or a subtle performance only is carried out by
decreasing a sound volume, a light amount, etc., so that the
individual performance does not stand out during the total jackpot
performance.
[0200] As a result of working solely or working together with the
other control devices 1201, 2601, and 2611, the control devices
1101, 2621, and 3101 that are advance notification performance
control units of the respective token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000 function as advance notification performance control
means so as to carry out the total jackpot performance process by
executing the total performance program. In particular, when the
performance units such as the speaker and the illuminating device
of each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000
are caused to carry out a performance assuming part of the total
jackpot performance, it becomes possible to carry out a single
total performance (total jackpot performance) in which all the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected to the
gaming arcade server 5000 are cooperated with each other.
Concretely, for example, in all the token-operated game machines
1000, 2000, and 3000, illumination in blue and red are alternately
emitted at the same timing, the same music or sound effect to the
effect that either player who plays by using these token-operated
game machines has won the total jackpot award is output at the same
timing, and other similar effects are provided.
[0201] It is noted that, in the present embodiment 1, the
performance unit of each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000 is configured by hardware different from each
another, and thus, it is not possible to carry out the completely
same performance. To solve this, it may be possible to carry out
the total jackpot performance that gives a sense of unity as a
whole by deliberately combining the performances different from
each other at each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000,
and 3000. As an example of music and sound effect, the horse-racing
game machine 1000 may take a low-sound part, the pusher game
machine 2000 may take a middle-sound part, and the slot machine
3000 may take a high-sound part.
[0202] There are specific, various performance methods for the
total jackpot performance that can carry out a performance that
gives a sense of unity as a whole, which is achieved as a result of
a mutual synchronization of the performances provided by the
performance units of each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000.
[0203] By starting the total jackpot performance in this way, the
players and audience in the gaming arcade can know that someone of
the players playing the token-operated game machines in the gaming
arcade wins the total jackpot award within. Thus, the player
develops a sense of expectancy to the effect that the player
him/herself may win the jackpot award and waits a notification of
the drawing result.
[0204] After the total jackpot performance is started in this way,
on each of the display units 1011, 2700, and 3011, a slot screen as
shown in FIG. 17 is displayed subsequent to the jackpot start
screen as shown in FIG. 16. Then, after the three reel images on
the slot screen start a varying display, stop/display control is
performed on the three reel images on each of the display units
1011, 2700, and 3011 so that symbols that reflect winning or losing
at the respective corresponding station and others are stopped and
displayed. Concretely, in the present embodiment 1, as described
above, there are the four awards, i.e., the total jackpot award,
the big bonus award as a payout award, the middle bonus award as a
payout award, and the small bonus award, as a payout award and the
stop/display control is performed so that a combination of symbols
corresponding to the respective awards is stopped and displayed on
the slot screen. More particularly, on the display units 1011,
2700, and 3011 of the station and others that have won the total
jackpot award, the stop/display control is performed so that three
identical A symbols are stopped and displayed. On the display units
1011, 2700, and 3011 of the station and others that have won the
big bonus award, the stop/display control is performed so that
three identical B symbols are stopped and displayed. On the display
units 1011, 2700, and 3011 of the station and others that have won
the middle bonus award, the stop/display control is performed so
that a combination of symbols mixed with the A symbols and B
symbols is stopped and displayed. On the display units 1011, 2700,
and 3011 of the station and others that have won the small bonus
award, the stop/display control is performed so that a combination
of symbols is stopped and displayed. In this case, the combination
is: the A symbol or the B symbol is stopped and displayed on both a
left reel image and a middle reel image, and neither the A symbol
nor the B symbol is stopped and displayed on a right reel image
(i.e., a blank symbol is stopped and displayed).
[0205] It is noted that there is no need that the jackpot start
screen and the slot screen are completely the same in all the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000. For example,
these screens may be appropriately modified according to hardware
with which these screens are displayed, or may be arranged
according to the game content of each of the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, and 3000.
[0206] Moreover, in the present embodiment 1, the varying display
of the reel images on the slot screen is simultaneously started in
all the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 connected
to the gaming arcade server 5000; however, a completion timing at
which the three reel images are stopped and displayed is differed
depending on each award. Concretely, with respect to a time it
takes for the stop display completion timing, it takes the least
time for the station and others corresponding to the loss; it
gradually takes more time in the order of the small bonus award,
the middle bonus award, the big bonus award, and the total jackpot
award.
[0207] Further, in the present embodiment 1, also while the varying
display of the reel images on the slot screen is started and the
stop display is completed, the total jackpot performance (advance
notification performance) is continued. For example, after the
varying display of the reel image is started on the slot screen,
the performance is carried out so that the station and others
illuminated with a light are sequentially switched. In this case,
the illumination of the corresponding station and others (that are
drawing targets of each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, and 3000) are lit only in periods different from each other.
Then, the drawing performance is carried out so that at the timing
at which the stop display of the reel images at the station and
others is completed, the illumination of the station and others is
flashed.
[0208] After the total jackpot performance is ended in this way, a
process for paying out tokens of which the number of pieces
corresponds to that of each award is performed for the player who
plays at the station and others that have won each award. This
token payout may be performed by utilizing the token payout unit of
the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, and 3000, or may be
performed by way of an attendant pay in which the payout is made by
an employee at the gaming arcade.
[0209] In the present embodiment 1, the total accumulated token
count data indicates a value obtained by adding the number of
tokens to be paid out to the player who has won the total jackpot
award and the number of tokens to be paid out to the player who has
won the payout award (the big bonus award, the middle bonus award,
and the small bonus award). That is, when winning of the total
jackpot award is determined, a predetermined number of tokens that
is a part of the total accumulated token count data is paid out to
the player who has won the payout award, and the remaining number
of tokens is paid out to the player who has won the total jackpot
award. In this case, the total accumulated token count individually
displayed in each token-operated game machine may not display the
number of tokens indicated by the total accumulated token count
data but display only a part thereof, i.e., the number of tokens to
be paid out when the total jackpot award is won.
[0210] It is noted that the total accumulated token count data
indicates only the number of tokens to be paid out to the player
who has won the total jackpot award, and the number of tokens for
the payout award (the big bonus award, the middle bonus award, and
the small bonus award) may be stored as data different from the
total accumulated token count data.
[0211] As described so far, according to the present embodiment 1,
a total jackpot drawing can be performed by giving a drawing target
only a game apparatus highly likely to be played by a player among
all the game apparatuses capable of participating in the total
jackpot drawing. Thereby, since there is less likelihood of a
situation where the jackpot award is won in a game apparatus which
is not played by the player, a jackpot drawing start condition can
be used a condition which is not related to a game play of the
player playing a game with each game apparatus. Therefore, it is
possible to increase the degree of freedom of the jackpot drawing
start condition.
[0212] Further, there is less likelihood of a situation where the
jackpot award is won in a game apparatus which is not played by a
player. The above-described total jackpot performance is made
possible in which the jackpot award is won from a plurality of game
apparatuses. Thus, conventional disadvantages can also be
improved.
Embodiment 2
[0213] Hereinafter, an explanation will be made for the present
invention by referring to one embodiment (hereinafter, the present
embodiment is referred to as a "embodiment 2") which is applied to
a game system constituted with three types of token-operated game
machines, that is, arcade game machines (game machines for business
use), the game content of which is different from each other as
well as a gaming arcade server and a management server as a jackpot
drawing apparatus connected in a manner to enable communication
with these machines, as with the above-described embodiment 1.
[0214] The present embodiment 2 is similar to the above embodiment
1 in a basic constitution but greatly different in that a jackpot
drawing process is performed at the gaming arcade server 5000 and
the jackpot drawing process is performed individually at each of
the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 and also
different in a manner of performing a jackpot drawing or others.
These differences from embodiment 1 will be explained
hereinafter.
[0215] It is noted that among various modified examples explained
in the above-described embodiment 1, modified examples similarly
applicable to the present embodiment 2 may be changed in
content.
[0216] FIG. 18 is a sequence flowchart showing a flow of a total
jackpot drawing in the present embodiment 2. In FIG. 18, for the
sake of explanation, only one token-operated game machine and one
gaming arcade server are shown.
[0217] In the present game system, when a player consumes tokens at
each of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000, data
indicating the tokens consumed is transmitted to the gaming arcade
server 5000 in the gaming arcade thereof, together with a game
machine ID as game apparatus identification information for
identifying a game apparatus which is played by the player (the
station 1010 of the horse-racing game machine 1000, the station
unit ST of the pusher game machine 2000 or the slot machine 3000).
It is noted that if the function to manage the player
identification information as found in the above-described
horse-racing game machine 1000 is provided in each game apparatus,
the player identification information may be used in place of the
game machine ID.
[0218] As with the above-described embodiment 1, the control device
5001 of the gaming arcade server 5000 stores accumulatively in the
storage device 5002 a part of tokens consumed by each player (for
example, 0.01 pieces) as intra-arcade accumulated token count data
on the basis of token consumption data transmitted from each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000. As with the
above-described embodiment 1, the control device 5001 transmits the
intra-arcade accumulated token count data within the storage device
5002 to the management server 4000 at a predetermined timing. Then,
as with the above-described embodiment 1, the management server
4000 accumulatively adds a part of the number of tokens indicated
by the data to total accumulated token count data within the
storage device 4002 when receiving the intra-arcade accumulated
token count data transmitted from each gaming arcade server
5000.
[0219] In the total jackpot drawing of the present embodiment 2, a
process in which when any one of the game apparatus 1010, ST, 3000
satisfies a predetermined drawing start condition, a determination
is made for whether the total jackpot award is won in a game
apparatus which has satisfied the drawing start condition, is
performed. Here, in the present embodiment 2, a total jackpot
drawing start condition is to bet a predetermined number of tokens
(for example, 100 pieces). In addition to this, any other publicly
known drawing start condition may be adopted. More specifically,
for example, that a bet operation is performed, that a token
drop-in sensor detects a token dropped in, that a signal for
commencing the change in symbol display on a slot machine is turned
ON and that the number of tokens paid out is in excess of a
predetermined number (10 pieces), are included. Further, the total
jackpot drawing start condition and winning probability of a total
jackpot award may be made different among game apparatuses
constituting the present game system. Where the total jackpot
drawing start condition is made different among game apparatuses,
it is desirable that the drawing start condition is set to be the
same in game apparatuses of the same type. Where winning
probability of a total jackpot award is made different among game
apparatuses, the winning probability in each of the game
apparatuses may be made different according to a drawing start
condition set in the game apparatus concerned.
[0220] In the present embodiment 2, upon receipt of token
consumption data and the game machine ID from each of the game
apparatus 1010, ST, 3000, the control device 5001 of the gaming
arcade server 5000 adds accumulatively a part of the number of
tokens indicated by the token consumption data to individual count
data within the storage device 5002 in association with the game
machine ID concerned. Then, where the number of tokens indicated by
the individual count data is in excess of 100 pieces, the control
device 5001 performs a process for decreasing the number of tokens
corresponding to 100 pieces from the individual count data, thereby
executing a total jackpot drawing program to perform the total
jackpot drawing. In this total jackpot drawing, a determination is
made for whether the total jackpot award is won by checking a
generated random number in reference to the predetermined winning
table.
[0221] In the present embodiment 2, an explanation has been made by
exemplifying a case where, as with the gaming arcade drawing of the
above-described embodiment 1, the total jackpot drawing is
performed individually in the game apparatus 1010, ST, 3000 which
satisfies a condition for starting a predetermined jackpot drawing.
As with the winner determination drawing process explained in the
above-described embodiment 1, the same is applicable to a case
where a game apparatus which wins the total jackpot award is
determined by a single drawing from a plurality of apparatuses,
that is, the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000. However, where the
total jackpot drawing is performed individually in the game
apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 as in the present embodiment 2, it is
not necessary to adjust a timing for performing the total jackpot
drawing among a plurality of apparatuses, that is, the game
apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000. This is advantageous in simplifying the
total jackpot drawing process.
[0222] In the total jackpot drawing of the present embodiment 2,
when winning is determined in any one of the game apparatuses 1010,
ST, 3000, first, a gaming arcade drawing performance is carried out
as if a gaming arcade drawing were performed for determining a
gaming arcade which wins the total jackpot award from a plurality
of gaming arcades. In the present embodiment 2, since a winner of
the total jackpot award has already been determined, in this gaming
arcade drawing performance, a drawing process is not performed but
only a performance is carried out as if just a drawing were
performed. In other words, this gaming arcade drawing performance
may be a performance that notifies which gaming arcade has a winner
of the total jackpot award.
[0223] In the gaming arcade drawing performance of the present
embodiment 2, when winning is determined in any one of the game
apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000, first, the control device 5001 of the
gaming arcade server 5000 transmits winning data showing to the
effect that an award has been won to the management server 4000,
together with a game machine ID of any winning one of the game
apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000. The control device 4001 of the
management server 4000 which has received the winning data performs
a gaming arcade selecting process for selecting a gaming arcade
which carries out the gaming arcade drawing performance. It is not
necessary to perform the gaming arcade selecting process where the
gaming arcade drawing performance is carried out in all gaming
arcades provided with the gaming arcade server 5000 which
constitutes the present game system. However, where the gaming
arcade selecting performance is carried out in all the gaming
arcades, the number of apparent drawing targets (the number of
gaming arcades) is increased. As a result, there is greater
likelihood of a situation where the gaming arcade drawing
performance has been carried out but no award is won in any of the
game apparatuses within a gaming arcade. Players at each gaming
arcade realize a lower winning probability (apparent winning
probability) of their gaming arcade and hardly have a winning
expectation. Consequently, the gaming arcade drawing performance
may fail in livening up the winning Therefore, in the present
embodiment 2, the gaming arcade selecting process is performed so
that the gaming arcade drawing performance is to be carried out not
in all gaming arcades but in a limited number of gaming arcades.
Thereby, the players are allowed to realize a higher apparent
winning probability that an award may be won in their gaming
arcade, having a greater expectation so that the gaming arcade
drawing performance can liven up the winning It is noted that a
gaming arcade selecting condition and the number of gaming arcades
to be selected in the gaming arcade selecting process may be set
appropriately. However, it is necessary to select a gaming arcade
having a winner of the total jackpot award without fail.
[0224] The control device 4001 of the management server 4000
selects a gaming arcade for carrying out a gaming arcade drawing
performance by the gaming arcade selecting process and thereafter
issues a gaming arcade performance command to the gaming arcade
server 5000 of the selected gaming arcade. Then, in the gaming
arcade server 5000 which receives the gaming arcade performance
command, the gaming arcade drawing performance process is
performed. The gaming arcade drawing performance process displays a
gaming arcade drawing slot screen as shown in FIG. 19 on a
large-size display (not shown) connected to the gaming arcade
server 5000. Below the gaming arcade drawing slot screen, the
number of tokens paid out when the total jackpot award is won this
time (the number of total accumulated tokens) is displayed.
Further, on the gaming arcade drawing slot screen, an image that
frames displaying respectively the name and area of a gaming arcade
selected by the gaming arcade selecting process moves on the screen
from above to below in a predetermined order is displayed. Then,
finally, as shown in FIG. 20, a frame of the gaming arcade having a
winner of the total jackpot award (gaming arcade A) is stopped and
displayed. Thereby, a player who looks at the large-size display of
the gaming arcade where the gaming arcade drawing performance has
been carried out is able to realize that a winner of the total
jackpot award is determined among players who play at the gaming
arcade A. As a result, a player who plays at the gaming arcade A
will have a greater expectation that the player may win the
award.
[0225] Here, as the gaming arcade drawing performance process, an
explanation has been made for a process for displaying the gaming
arcade drawing slot screen on the large-size display connected to
the gaming arcade server 5000. However, other process methods may
be adopted. These methods include a process method for displaying
the above-described gaming arcade drawing slot screen by utilizing
a display unit of each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, 3000 and a process method for carrying out a gaming arcade
drawing performance by vocal announcement.
[0226] After the gaming arcade drawing performance is ended as
described above, the gaming arcade server 5000 of the gaming arcade
having a winner of the total jackpot award (gaming arcade A)
performs the total jackpot performance process as if a winner
determination drawing were performed for determining a winner of
the total jackpot award among players who play at the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 within a gaming
arcade connected thereto. In the present embodiment 2, since the
winner of the total jackpot award has already been determined, in
the total jackpot performance process, a drawing process is not
performed but only a performance is carried out as if just a
drawing were performed. In other words, a performance by the total
jackpot performance process may be a performance that notifies
which player has won the total jackpot award. As with the
above-described embodiment 1, the total jackpot performance process
of the present embodiment 2 gives a player a sense of expectation
that the player may be a winner or arouses an interest that someone
may be a winner. Therefore, this process is expected to attract
attention from players, an audience and others in a gaming arcade
as a whole.
[0227] The total jackpot performance also needs to be carried out
simultaneously at all the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000,
3000 within a gaming arcade. Therefore, as with the above-described
embodiment 1, a process for determining a total jackpot performance
period is performed. Then, upon arrival of the total performance
period, as shown in FIG. 18, the control device 5001 of the gaming
arcade server 5000 performs a winning player presence confirming
process for confirming the presence of a player in any one of the
game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 which has won the jackpot award
this time. The winning player presence confirming process is
similar to the player presence confirming process in the
above-described embodiment 1 excluding a point in which only a
winning one of the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 is regard as an
object.
[0228] In the player presence confirming process of the
above-described embodiment 1, confirmation is made not only for
whether a player is present but also for whether the player
actually plays a game. However, in the present embodiment 2, it is
not necessary to confirm whether a player actually plays a game.
This is because the winning player presence confirming process of
the present embodiment 2 will be sufficient only if a winning
player is confirmed not to leave a game apparatus yet. Therefore,
for example, in the horse-racing game machine 1000, a confirmation
will be sufficient that the magnetic card is inserted into the
magnetic-card inserting slot 1015, or an ID code which is player
identification information read out from the magnetic card is
stored in the RAM 1203 which is an individual information storage
unit functioning as individual information storage means, or credit
data is stored in the RAM 1203. More specifically, only a
confirmation will be sufficient that credit data corresponding to
one or more pieces of tokens are stored in the RAM 1203.
[0229] More specifically, in the horse-racing game machine 1000,
where confirmation is made for whether an ID code read from the
magnetic card is stored in the RAM 1203 to perform the winning
player presence confirming process, the station control device 1201
which is a decision information detecting unit of the station 1010,
that is, a winning game apparatus, is inquired for confirmation of
the player presence, thus functioning as decision information
detecting means. Thereby, the station control device 1201 confirms
whether the ID code is stored in the RAM 1203 and transmits to the
gaming arcade server 5000 the confirmation result as
individual-information-presence-information which is decision
information. Then, the control device 5001, that is, a player
presence decision unit of the gaming arcade server 5000, functions
as player presence determining means. After receipt of
individual-information-presence-information to the effect that the
ID code is stored, the control device 5001 determines that the ID
code is stored in the RAM 1203 of the station 1010 and determines
that a player is present at the station 1010.
[0230] Further, in the horse-racing game machine 1000, where the
storage of credit data in the RAM 1203 is confirmed to perform the
winning player presence confirming process, the station control
device 1201 which is a decision information detecting unit of the
station 1010, that is, a winning game apparatus, functions as
decision information detecting means by being inquired for
confirmation of the player presence. Further, the station control
device 1201 confirms whether the credit data is stored in the RAM
1203, thereby transmitting to the gaming arcade server 5000 the
confirmation result as credit presence information which is
decision information. Then, the control device 5001 which is a
player presence decision unit of the gaming arcade server 5000
functions as player presence determining means. Upon receipt of the
credit presence information to the effect that the credit data is
stored, the control device 5001 determines that the credit data is
stored in the RAM 1203 of the station 1010 and also determines that
a player is present at the station 1010.
[0231] The method for confirming the presence of a winning player
is able to increase the accuracy of determination effectively by
combining methods explained in the present embodiment 2 and those
explained in the above-described embodiment 1 with each other to
evaluate results determined by each of the methods in a
comprehensive manner, thereby finally determining the player
presence.
[0232] The winning player presence confirming process is ended, as
described above, to confirm the player presence in any one of the
game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 which has won the jackpot award
this time. Then, the control device 5001 of the gaming arcade
server 5000 notifies each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, 3000 of the winning result of the jackpot drawing and also
transmits a total performance control command to each of the
token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000. Thereby, the
performance unit of each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, 3000 connected to the present gaming arcade server 5000 is
utilized to carry out the total jackpot performance.
[0233] On the other hand, where player presence is not confirmed in
any one of the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 which has won the
jackpot award this time, in the present embodiment 2, an
alternative winning determination process is performed in the
gaming arcade server 5000. The alternative winning determination
process is a process in which in place of any one of the game
apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 which has won an award but from which a
player has left, the jackpot award is to be won in another one of
game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000. The alternative winning
determination process of the present embodiment 2 determines the
winning of the total jackpot award in another one of the game
apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 by a drawing process which uses
accumulated token consumption data stored within the storage device
5002 of the gaming arcade server 5000.
[0234] More specifically, upon receipt of token consumption data
and a game machine ID from each of the game apparatuses 1010, ST,
3000, the control device 5001 of the gaming arcade server 5000
accumulatively adds the number of tokens indicated by token
consumption data not only to individual count data within the
storage device 5002 but also to accumulated token consumption data
within the storage device 5002 in association with the game machine
ID. The accumulated token consumption data is an accumulated value
for each game machine ID of token count indicated by the token
consumption data received within a predetermined period (for
example, the latest 30 minutes). In the present embodiment 2, the
game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 storing the game machine ID within
the storage device 5002 are regard as drawing targets excluding
such game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 that have won the jackpot
award but from which a player has left. And a random number drawing
which is set so as to increase a winning probability in a game
apparatus having a greater number of tokens indicated by the
accumulated token consumption data is performed. A game apparatus
which has won an award by this drawing is confirmed by a process
similar to the above-described winning player presence confirmation
process for whether a player is present. Then, upon confirmation of
the player presence, the control device 5001 of the gaming arcade
server 5000 notifies each of the token-operated game machines 1000,
2000, 3000 of the winning result and also transmits the total
performance control command to each of the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, 3000. Thereby, the performance unit of each of
the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 connected to the
present gaming arcade server 5000 is utilized to carry out the
total jackpot performance.
[0235] The content of the total jackpot performance may be similar
to that of embodiment 1. However, in the present embodiment 2, only
the winning of the total jackpot award is determined. Therefore, on
the slot screen of the display unit 1011, 2700 or 3011 of any
winning one of the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000, stop/display
control is provided so that a combination of symbols corresponding
to the total jackpot award is stopped and displayed. On the slot
screen of the display unit of other game apparatuses which fail in
winning an award, stop/display control is provided so that a
combination of symbols corresponding to loss is stopped and
displayed. As with the above-described embodiment 1, where payout
awards such as the big bonus award, the middle bonus award and the
small bonus award are subjected to a drawing process in advance,
stop display and control may be provided so that combinations of
symbols corresponding to the awards are stopped and displayed on
the slot screens of the display units 1011, 2700 and 3011 of the
game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 which have won these awards.
[0236] After the total jackpot performance is ended as described
above, a token payout process is given to a player playing with any
one of the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 which has won the total
jackpot award according to the number of tokens corresponding to
the award. These tokens may be paid out by utilizing token payout
units of the token-operated game machines 1000, 2000, 3000 or may
be paid out in terms of attendant pay in which the tokens are paid
out by an employee of a gaming arcade.
[0237] As described so far, according to the present embodiment 2,
at a predetermined timing at which after the winning of the total
jackpot award is determined but before the total jackpot
performance process is performed, confirmation is made for the
presence of a player in any one of winning game apparatuses 1010,
ST, 3000. Then, when the player is not present at the game
apparatus concerned, the token payout process is not performed for
the total jackpot award in the game apparatus concerned. Therefore,
even where before the player who has won the jackpot award is aware
of the winning, the player leaves the game apparatus, it is
possible to avoid a situation where the total jackpot award is paid
out to the player. In particular, in the present embodiment 2, the
winning player is able to be aware that the player has won the
jackpot award at a time when a gaming arcade drawing performance is
ended after the winning of the total jackpot award is determined
and the total jackpot performance process which is performed after
arrival of the total jackpot performance period is also ended.
Thus, there can be present a player who plays with any one of the
game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000 at the time of winning but finishes
play with any one of the game apparatuses 1010, ST, 3000, for
example, in the middle of the gaming arcade drawing performance.
According to the present embodiment 2, the above situation will not
take place despite the presence of the player. Therefore, there is
no case where the total jackpot drawing performance and various
conditions such as the jackpot drawing start condition are limited
to an extent so as to prevent the above situation. Thus, the degree
of freedom is greatly increased in various conditions.
[0238] It is noted that, instead of being applied to the
above-described types of machines, the token-operated game machine
applicable to the game system of the present embodiment 1 and
embodiment 2 can be applied to a wide use.
[0239] Also, the gaming arcade server 5000 of the present
embodiment 1 and embodiment 2, which is a apparatus dedicated to
the present game system to which only the token-operated game
machines 1000, 2000, and 3000 participating in the total jackpot
drawing are connected, may be a general gaming arcade server to
which also the other token-operated game machines not participating
in the total jackpot drawing are connected.
[0240] Methods for confirming the player presence explained in the
present embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 shall not be limited to
specification of drawing targets in the jackpot drawing but may be
widely applicable to a decision for whether a player plays with the
game apparatus concerned or not.
[0241] In the above-described embodiment 1 and embodiment 2, means
realized by software such as a computer program may be optionally
realized by hardware such as a circuit board and a chip. Moreover,
means realized by hardware such as a circuit board and a chip may
be optionally realized by software such as a computer program.
* * * * *