JPS6241680A - Pay line setting method of throttle machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to the use of OR (Cathode Ray Tube)
) on how to set paylines for slot machines that display symbols and play games.

[Prior Art] Conventional slot machines can be roughly divided into mechanical machines that move and stop symbol rows by physically rotating reels with multiple symbols drawn on the surface, and mechanical machines that move and stop symbol rows on the surface of the reels, and slot machines that display symbols on a CRT display screen. There is also a video type in which symbols are controlled and moved electronically.

An example of the configuration of a conventional device will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an example of a mechanical configuration, and the number of reels is three. Centered on outer box 1! NI2 is fixed, and three cylindrical reels 3a, 3b, and 3c are rotatably provided thereon. On each of the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c, n symbols 4 of m types (where m and n are natural numbers of 2 or more) are drawn, and the combinations of symbols are different for each reel. The outer box 1 is provided with a lid 6 having an observation window 5, and the reels 3a and 3b are passed through the observation window 5.

Make the symbol drawn on 3C visible.

Further, the outer box 1 has eight coin dispensing lowers and eight operation levers 8.

Next, the operation of the configuration example shown in FIG. 7 will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a view of symbols 4 drawn on the rotating reels 3a, 3b, and 3c of the slot machine of FIG. 7, viewed from the observation window 5, and the same elements as in FIG. 7 are indicated by the same symbols. First, a payline is selected depending on the number of coins inserted by the player. Next, when the player operates the control lever 8, the game starts, and the reels 3a, 3b.

3C are rotated in the same direction by a drive device (not shown). The rotation of each reel is then stopped independently by a stop device (not shown).

Here, it is assumed that the reels 3a, 3b, and 3c have stopped at the symbol arrangement shown in the 8th ward, and the winning combination of symbols is when 3 identical symbols line up in a row, and the payline is the solid line 10 in Figure 8. , 20°30.40.50. Then, in this case, since the rectangular symbols are lined up in a row on the payline 40, a sensor and a hit determination device (not shown) determine that it is a win, and coins are paid out from the coin payout lower according to a predetermined payout rate.

The above situation is the same in recent video slot machines that display symbols on a CRT (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-24556). In other words, symbols are displayed on the display screen as if multiple reels were arranged in parallel around a single central axis inside the slot machine, and symbols are displayed on the display screen as if multiple reels were arranged in parallel around a single central axis inside the slot machine. The symbols on the display screen are moved in a certain direction by electronic control as if they were playing a game, and the movement of the symbols is stopped by electronic control, and as a result, when a winning combination is achieved on the payline, a predetermined win is made. Coins are paid out according to the payout rate.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, conventional slot machines have a structure in which symbol rows consisting of a plurality of symbols are moved in parallel to each other in the same direction around a single central axis, and the movement is stopped for each symbol row. It is not possible to set a payline for the game in the direction. because,
Since the arrangement of symbols, moving conditions, and stopping conditions are different for each symbol string, the combinations of symbols between different symbol strings are subject to chance, but the combinations of symbols in the same symbol string are necessarily determined. This is because there is no chance involved. Slot machines are gaming machines that focus on the chance that occurs in symbol combinations and set the payout rate according to the probability of the combination occurring. It cannot be set.

In this way, conventional slot machines have a structure in which symbol rows are arranged in parallel to each other around a single central axis.
The lack of variety in symbol combinations and the small number of paylines limited the player's enjoyment.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a payline setting method for a slot machine that can increase the variety of symbol combinations and increase the number of paylines for the game to enhance player enjoyment. It's something.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The payline setting method for a slot machine according to the present invention is as follows:
On the screen of a CRT display, k x ρ (k, 1) is an integer of 2 or more) symbol column display areas are arranged in parallel in a matrix of Ω rows and Ω columns, and pay lines are arranged in the symbol column display areas arranged in the matrix. The feature is that a plurality of lines are set by connecting substantially central positions of at least two of the areas with straight lines in at least each row and each column direction.

〔Example〕

The payline setting method according to the present invention and the basic operation of a slot machine using this method will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of the CRT screen of a video slot machine, in which symbol string display areas R11 to Rk, Q are arranged in parallel to a matrix. For R'11 to RJ, there are m types (
A symbol string formed by combining n symbols (m is a natural number of 2 or more) (n is a natural number of 2 or more) is displayed movably in a fixed direction. The pay lines that are the target of the game on such a CRT screen are:
H1 to Hk in the horizontal direction and V1 to Vρ in the vertical direction
9 books are set. Then, when the combination V of symbols on this payline matches a predetermined winning combination, coins are paid out as a "win".

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the operation of a slot machine using the method of FIG. First, when a player inserts coins (step S1), a payline is selected according to the number of coins inserted (step 32). This selection of paylines is performed by selecting some or all of the paylines preset for each slot machine.

Next, when the player operates the lever (step $3), the reels (
(symbol string) is driven in a certain direction (step 34)
. Then, a random number is generated for each reel (step S5).
, a win is determined according to this random number and the payline selected in step S2 (step 36). Incidentally, for this hit determination, combinations of symbols that result in a hit are stored in advance.

Random numbers are used to determine hits and also to control the reels to stop. In other words, so that the symbol specified by the random number stops at the center of the symbol string display area,
Stopping of each reel is controlled (step 37). This control is continued until all reels are stopped (step S8).

When all the reels have stopped, if the combination of symbols on the payline is a winning combination, coins are paid out at a predetermined payout rate (Step 39.3IO).
.

Next, an embodiment of a slot machine to which a specific method of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. Third
The figure is a block diagram showing the configuration of such a slot machine. The input device 101 selects a payline according to the number of coins inserted by the player and issues a payline selection signal, issues a game start signal based on an external input such as a lever operation by the player, and provides this to the processor 102. . When the processor 102 receives the game start signal, it generates a start signal and supplies this to the random number generator 103 and the CRT controller 104. The random numbers generated by the random number generator 103 are given to the virtual reel memory 105. Here, the virtual reel memory 105 is kxg
Virtual reel R11 of books (3 x 3 in the case of this example)
, R12°R13・R21・R22・R23・R31・
R32 and R33, and each virtual reel has m types of symbol codes stored at addresses from the first address to the nth address (in the case of this embodiment, from address C to address C in hexadecimal representation). O stored in addresses up to address C
It consists of 5 types of symbol codes (from 4 to 4). The virtual reel memory 105 can be configured with a ROM, for example.

The CRT controller 104 reads the stored contents of the virtual reel memory 105 via the bus 106a, refers to the symbol memory 107, and displays a symbol string on the display screen of the CRTI 08.

Here, the symbol memory 107 has m symbol codes (in this embodiment, five symbol codes from O to 4).
It stores the image of each symbol corresponding to the symbol, and can be configured with a ROM, for example.

CRT controller 104 controls CRT 108 based on a pointer data signal provided from virtual reel memory 105 via bus 106b, and provides a reel stop signal to processor 102 via bus 106o. The processor 102 determines a win based on the contents stored in the win combination memory 109, the payline selection signal given from the input device 101, and the point data signal given via the bus 106b, and in the case of a win, outputs the output device 11.
0 to pay out coins, etc. Here, the winning combination memory 109 stores winning combinations and payout rates for each payline, and can be configured by, for example, a ROM.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the display screen of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, in which symbol columns are arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns. Furthermore, since each symbol string moves and stops independently, there can be eight paylines, indicated by solid lines 100 to 800 in the figure. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the contents of the winning combination memory '109, in which winning symbol combinations and corresponding payout rates are stored for each of paylines 100 to 800. In this embodiment, it is assumed that on the payline 800 as shown in FIG. 6, a payout rate of 25'O times is set for the combination of symbol code '4'.

Next, the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

When a coin is inserted into a coin slot (not shown), a payline is selected by the input device 101. here,
Assume that all paylines 100 to 800 are selected. A payline selection signal is provided to processor 102.

When a lever (not shown) is operated, a game start signal is given to the processor 102. Based on this, the processor 102 issues a start signal.

When a start signal is issued at time t1, the CR controller 104 controls the CRT 108 so that the matrix-shaped symbol strings move in a fixed direction as displayed on the display screen of the CRT 108. Note that the reel image is transferred from the virtual reel memory 105 to the bus 106.
b, and the image of the symbol is read from symbol memory 107. The start signal is also given to the random number generator 103, and the random numbers are generated in the virtual memory 103.
given to 5. Depending on the given random number, C in hexadecimal representation for each of the virtual reels R11 to R33.
Addresses from address to address C are selected.

At time t2, virtual reel memory 105 issues a point data signal. The point l-data signal consists of an address and symbol code for each virtual reel selected by random numbers, and is provided to processor 102 and CRT controller 104. Here, C of the virtual reel
It is assumed that the symbol code combinations at addresses from address to address C are as shown in FIG. 3, and the virtual reel R'11. R12, R13, R21, R22° R23, R31, R32, R33 3.7.0°5, C
Suppose that the address is selected by random numbers. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, symbols with the symbol code 114 $1 are lined up on the payline 800, and a win is determined by the processor 102. Note that the refund rate in this case is 250 times as shown in FIG.

When the hit determination is completed at time a'lt 3, reel stop control signals are sequentially issued from the CRT controller 104 and applied to the CRT 108. by this,
The symbol strings displayed on the display screen of the CRT 108 sequentially stop moving. Note that each symbol string stops at the position where the symbol specified by the point data signal is at the center of the display.

When the movement of all symbol columns stops at time t4, a reel stop signal is issued from the CRT controller 104 and given to the processor 102.

Then, the processor 102 controls the output device 110 so that coins are paid out at a predetermined payout rate (250 times in this embodiment).

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, kxfJ reels displaying symbol strings consisting of combinations of symbols are arranged and displayed in a matrix of 9 rows and columns on a CRT screen, and paylines are displayed. Since this is also set in the moving direction of the symbol rows (reels), the number of paylines itself can be increased, and the entertainment value of the game can be improved. In addition, the display areas are arranged in a matrix, and each area displays a separate symbol row, so the correlation between the combinations of symbols on the conventional paylines (perpendicular and diagonal directions to the symbol movement direction) can be improved. can be made significantly smaller and thus the variety of symbol combinations can be significantly increased. For these reasons, it becomes possible to set the coin payout rate upon winning to a large value.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a CRT tube showing the method of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a slot machine to which this method is applied, and Fig. 3 is a configuration of a specific example of a slot machine to which the method of the present invention is applied. 4 is a timing chart explaining the operation of the specific example shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of symbols on the display screen of the specific example shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a configuration example of a conventional device;
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the configuration example of FIG. 7. 105... Virtual reel memory, 107... Symbol memory. Applicant's agent Yoshiki Hase Figure 1 Figure 2 (A) (B) Figure 4 Cloudy

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a plurality of symbol string display areas arranged in parallel on the tube surface of a CRT display, different symbol strings are displayed while moving in a fixed direction, and each symbol string is selected by random numbers. stop the movement of the symbol strings in the plurality of symbol string display areas based on the symbols that have been displayed, and at least two of the plurality of symbol string display areas.
In a payline setting method for a slot machine, the method comprises: determining whether a combination of symbols specified by the random numbers on a payline determined by connecting predetermined positions in two areas with a straight line matches a predetermined combination; The symbol row display areas of k×l (k and l are integers of 2 or more) are arranged in parallel in a matrix of k rows and l columns on the screen of the display, and the pay lines are arranged in the matrix. A method for setting paylines for a slot machine, characterized in that a plurality of paylines are set by connecting substantially central positions of at least two of the areas with straight lines in at least each row and each column direction. 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the symbol column display areas are arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns, and each of the 9 symbol columns is displayed in the 9 symbol column display areas. How to set paylines. 3. The method of setting paylines for a slot machine according to claim 2, wherein the paylines are set in each row, each column, and diagonal direction of the symbol column display area of the 3 rows and 3 columns.