Gaming Machine Having Questionnaire Function And Control Method Thereof

Abstract

A gaming machine of the present invention includes: a controller which executes a process of starting a game while it is triggered that a predetermined condition has been met, a process of counting the number of times of executing the game, and a process of judging whether or not the counted number of times of executing the game has reached a predetermined value; a stocker for stocking a form on which questions to be answered are printed; an ejection device which is capable of ejecting the form stocked in the stocker in a case where it is judged that the number of times of executing the game has reached a predetermined value by the controller; a re-collection device for re-collecting the form that is ejected by the ejection device and in which answers to questions are entered; a reading device which reads the form in which answers to questions are entered and which data-converts the read answer; a memory which stores the data-converted answers by the reading device and plural types of video data and audio data; and a reproduction device which reproduces video data or audio data stored in the memory. The controller executes a process of transfer to a waiting state waiting for re-collection of the form in which answers to questions have been entered, after ejecting the form by the ejection device, a process of associating an answer data-converted from the form re-collected after transfer to the waiting state, with a game history obtained until transfer to the waiting state, and storing the associated answer in the memory, and a process of selecting video data and audio data from the memory in accordance with the answer and game history stored in the memory. The reproduction device reproduces the video data and audio data selected by the controller.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present invention relates to a gaming machine and control method of the gaming machine that has a questionnaire function.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Conventionally, in gaming facilities in which gaming machines such as slot machines are installed, players can enjoy games by inserting a variety of gaming mediums such as coins and cashes. Each of the gaming machines is designed so as to pay out a payment according to a winning prize (game outcome) that takes place in the progress of a game.[0005]In a casino in which a plurality of slot machines are installed, there is a so called “jackpot” from which, after part of the credit consumed in each of the slot machines has been reserved, if the amount of the reservation reaches a predetermined amount of money, a large amount of payout is made such that a payment is not paid out to any of the slot machines in an ordinary hit (see Published US Patent Application No....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The questions to be answered contain player's age and gender, impression and evaluation relative to games, and impression and evaluation of gaming facilities on which gaming machines are installed. These questions are printed in advance on entry sheets. By obtaining answers to these questions from players, it is possible to collect, within a short time, information pertinent to players such as players' ages and genders and players' actual opinions of advantages and drawbacks of games, etc., which the players felt, without making a market research for.

[0041]Further, the form in which the answers to questions are entered is read, the read sheet is data-converted, and then, the data-converted sheet is stored in a memory. The questions to be answered contain player's age and gender, impression and evaluation relative to games, and impression and evaluation of gaming facilities on which gaming machines are installed, and these questions are printed in advance on entry sheets. By obtaining answers to these questions from players, it is possible to collect, within a short time, information pertinent to players such as the players' ages and genders and the players' actual opinions of advantages and drawbacks of games, etc., which the players felt, without making a market research for.

Problems solved by technology

However, information which can be acquired by conventional slot machines or host computer is objective information pertinent to games such as game count, accumulative number of coin insertions, integral values of bonus pool, an accumulative number of payouts, profits and deficits, and return rate, and it has been impossible to obtain subjective information such as what players feel about games.

Therefore, the conventional gaming machines entail a problem that: in seeking to obtain the players' impression or evaluation relevant to games performed at slot machines or gaming facilities in which such slot machines are installed, there is a need to make a market research for; and it takes a plenty of time to obtain a result of the research, further resulting in very high human cost.

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