GAMING MACHINE, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM

Abstract

To provide a technique for synchronizing timing for displaying an in-game event with a sound beat.SOLUTION: A gaming machine includes: a display; a speaker; a storage device for storing tempo data including beat information of an entire BGM and BGM sound data; and a controller connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device. The controller outputs BGM to the speaker on the basis of BGM sound data and starts displaying progress of a game on the display, determines timing for displaying an event on the display on the basis of the tempo data, dynamically configures animation data such that the event is displayed at the determined timing, and displays the dynamically configured animation data on the display.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a gaming machine, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a gaming machine that plays audio files while a game is being provided. This gaming machine starts playing the audio file and timing using a timer when the game starts, and predicts the timing when the on-beat will occur by comparing the beat data of the audio file being played with the timer value. When the gaming machine recognizes the occurrence of an in-game event, it determines the audio file to be used in the event, and plays the audio file to be used in the event at the timing predicted so that the audio file being played will be on-beat. In this way, the timing when the audio file to be used in the event is played is synchronized with the beat of the audio file being played. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,192,857 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the gaming machine described in Patent Document 1, the start of playback of an audio file used in an in-game event is synchronized with the beat of the audio file being played, but the timing at which the in-game event is displayed on the display is not taken into consideration. Therefore, the timing at which the in-game event is displayed on the display cannot be synchronized with the beat of the audio file being played. In addition, a time lag may occur between the timing at which the in-game event is displayed and the timing at which the audio file used in the event is played. These problems may cause a player playing a game on the gaming machine to feel uncomfortable.

[0005] The present disclosure provides techniques for synchronizing the timing of displaying in-game events with the beat of sounds. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a gaming machine is provided. The gaming machine includes a display, a speaker, a storage device, and a controller. The display displays the progress of a game including at least one event. The speaker outputs the sound of the game. The storage device stores tempo data including beat information of an entire BGM (background music) and sound data of the BGM. The controller is connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device. The controller starts displaying the progress of the game on the display while causing the speaker to output BGM based on the sound data of the BGM stored in the storage device. The controller determines a timing for displaying the event on the display based on the tempo data of the BGM. The controller dynamically configures animation data so that the event is displayed at the determined timing. The controller causes the dynamically configured animation data to be displayed on the display.

[0007] According to a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, background music is output from a speaker in response to a player's operation, and the display starts displaying the progress of the game. The timing for displaying an event on the display is determined based on tempo data of the background music, and animation data dynamically configured to display the event at the determined timing is displayed on the display. In this way, since the display timing of the event is determined based on the tempo data of the background music, the display timing of the event can be synchronized with the tempo of the background music. This allows the gaming machine to synchronize the timing for displaying an in-game event with the beat of the sound.

[0008] In one embodiment, the gaming machine may further include an operation unit that accepts a player's operation. In this case, the controller may determine the timing of displaying an event on the display based on the operation timing of the operation unit by the player and the tempo data of the BGM. With this configuration, even if an event occurs in response to a player's operation and the timing is not uniquely determined, the screen display of the event can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM.

[0009] In one embodiment, the controller may randomly determine the content of the event. With this configuration, even if an event occurs randomly and the timing is not uniquely determined, the screen display of the event can be synchronized with the beat of the background music.

[0010] In one embodiment, the storage device may store sound data for an event, and the controller may cause the speaker to output a sound related to the sound data for the event stored in the storage device at a determined timing. With this configuration, the display timing of the event can be synchronized with the sound for the event.

[0011] In one embodiment, the storage device stores a rhythm pattern that defines a rhythm for sequentially displaying a plurality of events, and the controller determines the timing for displaying the plurality of events on the display based on the tempo data and the rhythm pattern, dynamically configures animation data so that the plurality of events are sequentially displayed at the determined timing, and displays the dynamically configured animation data on the display. According to this configuration, the timing for displaying the plurality of events on the display is determined based on the rhythm determined by the rhythm pattern and the beat of the background music, so that the display timing of the plurality of events can be synchronized with the beat of the background music while being placed on the rhythm determined by the rhythm pattern. This allows the player to easily understand the connection between the plurality of events, and allows for a wide range of event expression using sound.

[0012] In one embodiment, the display may display a game screen including a plurality of cells arranged in a grid, and the controller may randomly determine symbols to be arranged in the plurality of cells, and may determine whether a prize has been won based on the combination of symbols displayed on the display. With this configuration, the timing of displaying events during the provision of the slot game can be synchronized with the beat of the background music.

[0013] In one embodiment, the display displays a game screen having reels corresponding to a row of a plurality of cells arranged in a grid, and the controller may configure animation data for rotating and stopping the reels, with the rotation and stopping of the reels being regarded as events. With this configuration, the timing of the rotation and stopping of the reels can be synchronized with the beat of the background music. In this way, by synchronizing the timing of the rotation and stopping of the reels, which is what the player pays most attention to, with the beat of the background music, it is possible to provide the player with a rhythmic game progression and a comfortable game that combines the background music and the operation of the reels.

[0014] In one embodiment, the gaming machine may further include illumination that turns on, and the controller may turn on the illumination at the determined timing. With this configuration, the timing of displaying the event can be synchronized with the lighting of the illumination.

[0015] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for a gaming machine is provided. The gaming machine includes a display, a speaker, a storage device, and a controller. The display displays the progress of a game including at least one event. The speaker outputs a sound of the game. The storage device stores tempo data including beat information of the entire BGM and sound data of the BGM. The controller is connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device. The control method starts displaying the progress of the game on the display while causing the controller to output the BGM to the speaker based on the sound data of the BGM stored in the storage device. The control method determines, by the controller, a timing for displaying the event on the display based on the tempo data. The control method dynamically configures animation data by the controller so that the event is displayed at the determined timing. The control method causes the controller to display the dynamically configured animation data on the display.

[0016] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a program for a gaming machine is provided. The gaming machine includes a display, a speaker, a storage device, and a controller. The display displays the progress of a game including at least one event. The speaker outputs the sound of the game. The storage device stores tempo data including beat information of the entire BGM and sound data of the BGM. The controller is connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device. The program causes the controller to operate to start displaying the progress of the game on the display while outputting BGM to the speaker based on the sound data of the BGM stored in the storage device. The program causes the controller to operate to determine a timing for displaying an event on the display based on the tempo data. The program causes the controller to operate to dynamically configure animation data so that the event is displayed at the determined timing. The program causes the controller to operate to display the dynamically configured animation data on the display. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the gaming machine according to various aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to synchronize the timing of displaying an in-game event with the beat of a sound. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a gaming machine according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a gaming machine. [Diagram 3] 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a game screen of the gaming machine of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a virtual reel strip including an array of symbols indicating the ordering of symbols that may be displayed in a display area. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of symbols displayed in a display area. [Figure 6]FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of paylines set in the determination area of ​​FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of software and data of a gaming machine. [Figure 8] This is an example of data that serves as a prototype for BGM-related data. [Figure 9] 13 is an example of converted tempo data. [Figure 10] 10 is an example of setting data associated with the tempo data of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of rhythm pattern data expressed as a sequence of musical notes. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm (method MT1) used during operation of the gaming machine. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm (method MT2) used during operation of the gaming machine. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sound for reel stop in accordance with the tempo of background music. [Figure 15] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm (method MT3) used during operation of the gaming machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. As shown in the drawings and operations, the present disclosure is directed to a gaming system, a gaming machine, a display method, and a program for the gaming machine.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a gaming machine according to an embodiment. The gaming machine 10 shown in Fig. 1 can accept a predetermined game value from a player, generate a game result, and provide a dividend to the player according to the game result and a pay table.

[0021] 1, the gaming machine 10 includes an upper display 14 (an example of a display), a lower display 16 (an example of a display), and a cabinet 12. The cabinet 12 also houses a controller 22 (see FIG. 2) that controls the components of the gaming machine 10.

[0022] The upper display 14 and the lower display 16 are flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal display devices or organic EL display devices. The upper display 14 and the lower display 16 provide a game screen to the player by being controlled via the controller 22. As described below, at least one of the upper display 14 and the lower display 16 displays the progress of the game including at least one event. Illumination 36 that provides decorative lighting may be provided around the upper display 14 and the lower display 16.

[0023] The cabinet 12 is disposed below the lower display 16. A control panel 18 is provided on the front surface of the cabinet 12 so as to protrude forward. The control panel 18 is provided with a player tracking unit 20, a speaker 26, a bill / ticket recognition unit 28, a printer unit 30, and an operation unit 32.

[0024] The player tracking unit 20 includes a card reader for recognizing a player identification card, a display for presenting data to the player, and a keypad for accepting input by the player. The player tracking unit 20 cooperates with the controller 22 or an external system to read information recorded on a player identification card inserted into the card reader by the player, and displays the information and / or information obtained by communicating with the external system on the display. Furthermore, input from the player is accepted by the keypad, the display is changed according to the input, and communication with the external system is performed as necessary.

[0025] Speakers 26 are provided on the left and right sides of the control panel 18. The speakers 26 are controlled via the controller 22 to provide sounds to the player.

[0026] The bill / ticket recognition unit 28 can be housed in the cabinet 12 with an insertion opening through which bills / tickets are inserted exposed. An identification unit that identifies bills / tickets with various sensors is provided inside the insertion opening. A bill / ticket storage unit is provided on the output port side of the identification unit. The bill / ticket recognition unit 28 accepts bills / tickets (including vouchers and coupons) that are game value, identifies them as game value, and notifies the controller 22.

[0027] The printer unit 30 can be housed in the cabinet 12 with the ticket output port, from which the ticket is output, exposed. A printing section for printing predetermined information on printing paper is provided inside the ticket output port, and a storage section for storing printing paper is provided on the paper inlet side of the printing section. The printer unit 30 prints information on paper under the control of the controller 22, and outputs a ticket from the gaming machine 10 in accordance with a credit payout process. The output ticket can be inserted into a bill / ticket identification unit 28 of another gaming machine, allowing the paid-out credit to be used for game play, or can be exchanged for cash at a kiosk terminal or casino cage in the casino.

[0028] The operation unit 32 accepts the operation of the player. The operation unit 32 includes a group of buttons 34 that accept various instructions from the player of the gaming machine 10. For example, the operation unit 32 may include a group of a spin button and a set button. The spin button accepts an instruction to start an instance of a game (to start the rotation of the reels). The set button group includes a bet button group, a line designation button group, a max bet button, and a payout button. The bet button group accepts an instruction operation from the player regarding the credit amount of a bet (bet amount). The line designation button group accepts an instruction operation from the player to designate a payline related to a line determination to be described later. The max bet button accepts an instruction operation regarding the maximum credit amount that the player can bet at one time. The payout button accepts an instruction operation to instruct the payout of credits accumulated in the gaming machine 10.

[0029] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a gaming machine. The gaming machine 10 includes a controller 22. The controller 22 includes a processor 38 such as a CPU, an interface unit 40, a memory 42 (an example of a storage device), and a storage 44 (an example of a storage device). The controller 22 may be housed inside the cabinet 12 as a control board. The controller 22 is configured to be able to communicate with each part via the interface unit 40, and controls the operation of each part by executing a program recorded in the memory 42 or the storage 44 of the processor 38, thereby providing a game to a player.

[0030] The interface unit 40 includes a chipset that provides communication functions for the processor 38, such as a memory bus connected to the processor 38, various expansion buses, a serial interface, a USB interface, an Ethernet (registered trademark) interface, and the like.

[0031] The memory 42 can be configured to include a RAM, which is a volatile storage medium, a ROM, which is a non-volatile storage medium, and an EEPROM, which is a rewritable non-volatile storage medium. The storage 44 provides the controller 22 with a function as an external storage device, and can use a reader such as a memory card and a magneto-optical disk, which are removable storage media, and can also use a hard disk.

[0032] Connected to the interface unit 40 are the bill / ticket identification unit 28, the printer unit 30, the player tracking unit 20, the graphic controller 50, the input controller 52, the sound controller 53, and the illumination controller 54. The graphic controller 50, the input controller 52, the sound controller 53, and the illumination controller 54 may be housed inside the cabinet 12 as control boards.

[0033] The controller 22 is connected to the upper display 14 and the lower display 16 via a graphic controller 50. The controller 22 is connected to the operation unit 32 via an input controller 52. The controller 22 is connected to the illumination 36 via an illumination controller 54.

[0034] The controller 22 controls each part by executing the programs stored in the memory 42 and the storage 44, and provides a game to the player. Here, for example, the controller 22 may be configured so that the programs and data of the operating system and subsystems that provide the basic functions of the controller 22 are stored in the EEPROM of the memory 42, and the programs and data of the applications that provide the game are stored in the storage 44. With such a configuration, the game can be easily changed or updated by replacing the storage 44. Furthermore, the controller 22 may have a multiprocessor configuration including multiple CPUs.

[0035] Each block connected to the controller 22 will be described below. The bill / ticket identification unit 28 accepts bills / tickets at the insertion slot and notifies the controller 22 of identification information corresponding to the bill type or credit payout process. The controller 22 increases the amount of credits available in the game according to the notified information. The printer unit 30 prints information corresponding to the credit payout process from the gaming machine 10 on a ticket and outputs it under the control of the controller 22 which accepts operation of a payout button included in the operation unit 32.

[0036] The player tracking unit 20 cooperates with the controller 22 to transmit and receive player information and the like to and from the casino management system. The graphics controller 50 controls the upper display 14 and the lower display 16 under the control of the controller 22 to display display images including various graphics data. The sound controller 53 drives the speaker 26 under the control of the controller 22 to provide various sounds such as announcements, sound effects, and background music. The illumination controller 54 controls the lighting of the illumination 36 under the control of the controller 22.

[0037] The interface unit 40 includes various communication interfaces for communicating with the outside of the gaming machine 10. For example, the interface unit 40 can communicate with an external network via Ethernet 58, 60 and a serial interface 62. In Fig. 3, an example of communication with a known server-side gaming network (server-based gaming), a G2S network (game-system), and a slot information system (slot data system) is shown.

[0038] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a game screen of the gaming machine of Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, a game screen having a display area 64 displaying a slot game is displayed on the lower display 16 by the controller 22 executing a predetermined program. As an example, the display area 64 is displayed in a lower area of ​​the game screen. On the game screen other than the display area 64, information related to the game and effects such as animations are displayed.

[0039] The display area 64 includes a grid 68 for displaying symbols. By using such a display area, the gaming machine 10 operates as a slot machine that determines whether a prize has been won and pays out dividends according to the combination of symbols displayed in the display area 64.

[0040] The lower display 16 displays a plurality of symbols in a grid 68. The grid 68 includes a plurality of rows and columns. The grid 68 is made up of a plurality of cells 70 which are stopping positions of the symbols. FIG. 3 shows a game screen including a plurality of cells arranged in a 3×5 grid. The number of rows and columns of the grid is not particularly limited, and may be 3-4-4-4-3. One symbol is stopped and displayed in each of the plurality of cells 70 in the display area 64.

[0041] The symbols arranged in each of the cells 70 are determined using a virtual reel strip. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a virtual reel strip including a symbol arrangement indicating the order of symbols displayed in a display area. As shown in FIG. 4, in each cell 70 of the grid 68, symbols are displayed based on the symbol arrangement of the virtual reel 66 including the virtual reel strips 72, 74, 76, 78, and 80 forming a virtual reel set 82. That is, the cells 70 of the grid 68 are associated with the virtual reel strips 72-80 for each column, and symbols arranged in a predetermined portion of each virtual reel strip 72-80 are displayed. Furthermore, the symbols displayed in the cells 70 of the grid 68 are changed by moving (scrolling or spinning) each symbol for each column based on the symbol arrangement of the virtual reel strips 72-80, and the symbols are stopped by stopping the movement (scrolling or spinning) for each column. Here, the virtual reel strips 72-80 are data, and the controller 22 uses a program contained in the memory 42 or storage 44, and data that displays the symbol arrangement (i.e., the order of symbols on each reel strip) adjusted for each cell column. Furthermore, the virtual reel set 82 is a general term for such virtual reel strips 72-80. Note that multiple virtual reel sets may be prepared depending on the game content. For example, the virtual reel set used in the primary game may be different from the virtual reel set used in the bonus game and the free game.

[0042] The virtual reel strips 72-80 may be comprised of 20 symbols 84 at each symbol position 86, arranged in a defined order for each reel. FIG. 5 shows the symbols 84 shown in FIG. 4 in detail. Each of the virtual reel strips 72-80 includes symbols selected from a symbol set 88 of various symbols 84 shown in FIG. 7. The symbol set 88 includes standard symbols such as playing card symbols ("9", "10", "J", "Q", "K", and "A"), and picture symbols ("PicA", "PicB", "PicC", and "PicD") that show patterns. In addition, the symbol set 88 includes a wild symbol ("Wild") that substitutes for another symbol when a winning combination is determined, and a trigger symbol ("Trigger") that is used to determine whether a game feature is provided. Each of these symbols has a different rank with respect to their value in a prize, and the ranks increase in the order of "9", "10", "J", "Q", "K", "A", "PicE", "PicD", "PicC", "PicB", "PicA". Symbol combinations including symbols with higher prize rankings can win larger prizes than symbol combinations with lower prize rankings. The virtual reel set 82 further includes a plurality of credit prize symbols 85 ("Prize"). Each credit prize symbol 85 represents a different amount of credits that can be awarded to a player during a game. The different credit amounts may include randomly selected credit values ​​from 10, 15, 20, 30, 60, 150, 350, 700, 1000, 1500, and 3000 credits per game. Each credit value may be multiplied by a bet per line at the start of each spin. In addition to credit amounts, credit winning symbols may represent progressive bonuses and / or bonus game triggers that can be awarded to a player during a game.

[0043] 4, in one embodiment, some of the symbol positions may include fixed symbols and other symbol positions may include variable symbols represented by variable symbols 90 ("inns"). In an exemplary embodiment, with each play of a game, the fixed symbol positions include associated predetermined symbols from the set of symbols 84, and the variable symbols 90 include symbols randomly selected from the symbol set 88.

[0044] The controller 22 starts a game and randomly determines the stop position of each virtual reel strip 72-80. The virtual reel strips 72-80 displayed on the lower display 16 move from their current positions and stop based on the stop positions to indicate the outcome of the game. Therefore, in the lower display 16 or the grid 68, the symbols included in the virtual reel strips 72-80 are continuously moved (scrolled or spun) in the vertical direction of the display area 64, and one symbol in one cell 70 arranged in the symbol order based on the symbol arrangement is stopped and displayed.

[0045] The controller 22 may vary and stop a plurality of symbols displayed on the lower display 16 in accordance with a player's operation received by the operation unit 32, and a payout may be provided in accordance with the symbols stopped in the display area 64.

[0046] In the display area 64, a payline is set and used when a win is determined. The payline is set so as to span from the cells in the leftmost column to the rightmost column, and is a line that determines a win by combining a plurality of cells 70. The number of activated lines among the set paylines is selected by operating a group of line designation buttons included in a group of setting buttons of the player operation unit 32. The controller 22 determines a win when a predetermined number of identical symbols are aligned on the set payline with respect to the game result, which is a combination of symbols, and pays a payout to the player according to the type and number of symbols. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a payline set in the display area 64 of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 6, in the gaming machine 10, a predetermined number of paylines (40 patterns of lines) of cells in three rows and five columns in the display area 64 can be set. The system for determining a win may determine a win when a predetermined number of identical symbols are lined up from the cells of the leftmost column on a set payline, or when a predetermined number of identical symbols are lined up from the cells of the rightmost column on a set payline, or when a predetermined number of identical symbols are lined up in consecutive columns on a set payline. In addition, a "Trigger" that is more than the predetermined number will form a winning combination or trigger condition regardless of the payline.

[0047] 7 is a block diagram showing an example of software and data of a gaming machine. The gaming machine 10 includes a game application 92 and a system application 108. The game application 92 and the system application 108 are stored in the memory 42, for example. The game application 92 and the system application 108 are programs and include program code 94, 110, which is an example of computer-executable instructions. When executed by the processor 38, the program code 94, 110 causes the processor 38 to generate and display a game on the lower display 16 of the gaming machine 10. When executed by the processor 38, the game application 92 provides game-specific / front-end functions, and the system application 108 provides general-purpose / back-end functions.

[0048] The game application 92 and the system application 108 are implemented on the same operating system 130. The applications may be implemented on different operating systems and may be implemented by different processors.

[0049] The game application 92 has data for use in providing game specific / front end functionality. As an example, the game application 92 includes reel layout data 96, pay table data 98, graphics data 100, sound data 102, background music related data 104, and rhythm pattern data 106.

[0050] The reel layout data 96 is data including a virtual reel strip, and includes, as an example, the virtual reel set 82 shown in FIG. 4. The paytable data 98 ​​is a table that associates winning combinations with wins. The graphics data 100 is graphics data to be displayed on the upper display 14 and the lower display 16. The graphics data 100 includes data for generating animation data for events. Examples of events include reel stops in response to a player's operation, triggered bonus features, randomly occurring bonus features, and the like.

[0051] The sound data 102 may be audio waveform data. The sound data 102 includes sound data of BGM and sound data for events. The sound data of BGM is data of music to be played as background music when the gaming machine 10 provides a game to a player. For example, the gaming machine 10 may be configured to start playing the sound data of BGM when the gaming machine 10 is in a state in which a game can be executed, to continue playing the sound data while the game is being provided, and to end playing the sound data when the gaming machine 10 is no longer in a state in which the game can be executed. More specifically, the gaming machine 10 may start playing the sound data of BGM from the time when the game value is inserted into the gaming machine 10. Furthermore, the gaming machine 10 may continue playing the sound data of BGM until the player consumes all the game value or pays out the game value. When the gaming machine 10 provides multiple BGM, the sound data 102 may be configured to include sound data for multiple music.

[0052] Here, the sound data of the BGM may include sound data of an intro part at the beginning of a song and sound data of a repeat part where the melody repeats. In this case, when the song starts, the sound data of the intro part is used to output a sound, and after the sound data of the intro part ends, the sound data of the repeat part is played in a loop. The sound data for an event is music and sound effects output during an event. For example, sound effects when the reels stop, sound effects while the reels are spinning, music played when a win is won, music played when a high amount is won, sound effects and music played when a game value is paid out, etc. can be used as sound data for an event.

[0053] The BGM-related data 104 includes tempo data for the sound data of the BGM. The tempo data is data describing information on the tempo or beat timing of the entire BGM (an example of beat information). When the controller 22 executing a predetermined program code plays back the sound data of the BGM, the BGM is output from the speaker 26 according to the tempo of the tempo data or with the beats kept at the timing described in the tempo data. Such tempo data may include information on a loop start point and a loop end point for the above-mentioned loop playback.

[0054] FIG. 8 shows an example of data that is a prototype of the BGM-related data 104. Such data may be output from a tool such as sequence software that generates sound data of BGM, or may be constructed by another method. As shown in FIG. 8, the BGM-related data 104 is tempo data including a plurality of beats 1040 associated with time, and each beat 1040 is associated with timing information 1041. That is, the first beat 1040 is associated with timing information 1041 of "00:00:00:000", that is, 0 milliseconds. The next beat 1040 is associated with timing information 1041 of "00:00:00:250", that is, 250 milliseconds. Similarly, it is shown that beats are placed at 6000 milliseconds, 6250 milliseconds, 6500 milliseconds, 48000 milliseconds, 48250 milliseconds, and 48500 milliseconds. That is, in this tempo data, beats are placed at 250 millisecond intervals in the section from 0 milliseconds to 48500 milliseconds.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 8, the BGM-related data 104 may include setting data 1042 associated with each beat 1040. The setting data 1042 is associated with beat information and settings S1 to S3. Beat information is information indicating a position on a musical score of a piece of music. The largest unit of beat information is a measure, and a measure is divided into beats, and a beat is divided into ticks. A tick is the smallest unit of beat information in sequence software, and 480 or 960 ticks make up one beat. Setting S1 is a setting for a beat that is a loop start point or a loop end point. A beat associated with a start code "[" as setting S1 indicates that it is a beat of a loop start point. A beat associated with an end code "[" as setting S1 indicates that it is a beat of a loop end point. In the example of FIG. 8, a beat of 6500 milliseconds is associated with a start code. Therefore, loop playback starts at the beat of 6500 milliseconds (the second beat of the fourth measure). Also, a beat of 48500 milliseconds is associated with an end code. Therefore, the loop playback ends at the 48500 millisecond beat (the second beat of the 25th bar). When the loop playback ends, sound data is output again from the beat of the loop start point. Setting S2 is the sound strength, and setting S3 is the sound length.

[0056] The BGM-related data 104 shown in FIG. 8 may be converted into various data formats. Also, the setting data 1042 may not be set for each beat 1040, but may be set for the tempo data, which is the total of the beats 1040. FIG. 9 shows an example of converted tempo data, and FIG. 10 shows an example of the setting data 1042 associated with the tempo data of FIG. 9. The setting data 1042 shown in FIG. 10 is associated with the beat 1040 shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, the setting data 1042 has the total number of beats, timing information of the loop start position, the cumulative number of beats at the loop start position, and timing information of the end position of the BGM. When the controller 22 executing a predetermined program code plays back the sound data of the BGM, the BGM is output from the speaker 26 so that loop playback starts from the loop start position shown in FIG. 10 according to the tempo of FIG. 9. The BGM-related data 104 shown in FIG. 8 may be configured to be converted into the data format shown in FIG. 9 in a runtime environment. In addition, although the timing information 1041 in Figures 8 and 9 is shown as a number in milliseconds, from the viewpoint of synchronizing the animation and background music as will be described later, the unit of the timing information 1041 may be converted to the frame count value of the frame being displayed at that time.

[0057] When the gaming machine 10 provides multiple BGMs, the BGM-related data 104 may include tempo data associated with the sound data of each BGM. In this case, in order to identify the multiple tempo data, each tempo data may be associated with an identifier for identifying the BGM. The multiple tempo data may be configured as data contained in one file, or may be configured as separate files for each BGM.

[0058] Returning to FIG. 7, the rhythm pattern data 106 includes information on the sequence of timings for executing or generating an event. The rhythm pattern data 106 is the regularity of the rhythm for a predetermined period. The rhythm pattern data 106 may include one rhythm pattern commonly applied to all events, or may include a plurality of rhythm patterns for different events. FIG. 11 shows an example of the rhythm pattern data 106 expressed as a sequence of notes. The rhythm pattern data 106 shown in FIG. 11(a) is composed of five consecutive quarter notes, so that the timings for executing or generating an event are the first beat, the second beat, the third beat, the fourth beat, and the fifth beat. The rhythm pattern data 106 shown in FIG. 11(b) is composed of two consecutive quarter notes and three eighth notes, so that the timings for executing or generating an event are the first beat, the second beat, the third beat, the third beat, and the fourth beat. There is no particular limitation on the data format of the rhythm pattern data 106, and any desired data format can be used.

[0059] The system application 108 has meters 112, accounting log data 114, operation log data 116, and game recall data 118. The meters 112 include a credit meter for indicating the current credit balance of the gaming machine 10, and a win meter for indicating the total number of wins of the current gaming session. The meters 112 further include background meters such as coin insertion, coin return, total drop, waiter payout jackpot, and / or bill insertion. These meters may be implemented as data on a non-volatile memory or as hardware meters. The accounting log data 114 is accumulated data including error events, bill logs, cash withdrawal logs, ticket logs, and the like. The operation log data 116 is log data of the gaming machine 10. The game recall data 118 is accumulated data including the results of bonuses of primary games and free games. The game recall data 118 may be stored in a non-volatile memory.

[0060] The gaming application 92 and the system application 108 may be implemented on the same operating system 130. However, the applications may also be implemented on different operating systems and even on different processors.

[0061] A middleware 120 may be used to execute the game application 92 and the system application 108 on the operating system 130. In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, the middleware 120 uses software modules of an animation 122, a sound player 124, a timer 126, and a network 128. The animation 122 is a software module used when generating computer graphics animation. The sound player 124 is a software module used when playing back sound. The timer 126 is a software module that manages the timer. The network 128 is a software module used when communicating with other gaming machines 10, etc.

[0062] The device driver 140 can be used so that the operating system 130 recognizes and uses a device built into or externally attached to the gaming machine 10. The device driver 140 may be built into the operating system 130, or may be implemented in a form that is externally attached to the operating system 130.

[0063] The game application 92 and the system application 108 are not limited to the programs and data described above, and may include additional programs and data to implement any functionality, such as game execution, management, and the like.

[0064] Fig. 12 is a flow chart for explaining an algorithm (method MT1) used during operation of the gaming machine. The method MT1 (an example of a control method) shown in Fig. 12 is executed by the controller 22 executing a game application 92. One example of a game provided is a video slot game.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 12, the controller 22 judges whether or not a coin has been inserted (step S10). Here, inserting a coin refers to inserting a bill, a coin, a voucher, a coupon, or the like into the gaming machine 10, and includes moving money or credit information recorded in a mobile terminal, a card, or an online account to the gaming machine 10. The controller 22 typically judges whether or not a coin has been inserted via the bill / ticket identification unit 28. If the controller 22 does not detect the insertion of a coin, it repeats the judgment of step S10. If the controller 22 detects the insertion of a coin, it starts playing BGM sound data based on the sound data 102 and the BGM-related data 104, and causes the BGM to be output from the speaker 26 (step S12). If the playback of the BGM sound data is started, the timer 126 starts measuring the elapsed time from the start of the playback of the BGM sound data.

[0066] Next, the controller 22 determines whether or not there is an input to start a game (step S14). The controller 22 determines whether or not there is an input to start a game by the player via the operation unit 32 and the input controller 52. As an example, the controller 22 determines whether or not there is an input to start a game by pressing a spin button by the player. If there is no input to start a game, the controller 22 repeats the determination of step S14. If there is an input to start a game, the controller 22 randomly determines the stop position of each reel (step S16). The controller 22 determines the stop position of each reel based on a random number generated by a random number generator. The controller 22 may determine not only the stop position of each reel but also the presence or absence of an applied feature or bonus event based on the random number generated by the random number generator.

[0067] Next, the controller 22 acquires the current frame count of the BGM (step S18). The controller 22 acquires the current frame count of the BGM via the timer 126. The current frame count is a numerical value indicating how many frames have passed since the BGM started to be played. For example, when the frame rate is 60 FPS and 3900 milliseconds have passed since the BGM started to be played, the current frame count is "234 (=60*3900 / 1000)."

[0068] Next, the controller 22 specifies the first frame count at which the BGM becomes on-beat from the frame counts a predetermined number of frames after the current frame count (step S20). The controller 22 selects the frame count at which the BGM becomes on-beat by referring to the tempo data of the BGM-related data 104. For example, if the frame counts at which the BGM becomes on-beat are consecutively "45", "75", "105", "135", "165", "195", "225", "255" ... and the current frame count is "65" and the predetermined number of frames is "60", the controller 22 specifies "135", which is the count value after "125" obtained by adding the predetermined number of frames to the current frame count and is the closest to "125", as the first frame count at which the BGM becomes on-beat.

[0069] Next, the controller 22 determines the frame count at which each reel is stopped (step S22). As an example, the controller 22 determines to stop the first reel at the frame count specified in step S20, the second reel at frame count 165 at which the next beat will be on beat, the third reel at frame count 195 at which the next beat will be on beat, the fourth reel at frame count 225 at which the next beat will be on beat, and the fifth reel at frame count 255 at which the next on beat will be on beat.

[0070] Next, the controller 22 generates an animation of spinning and stopping each reel, and starts displaying it (step S30). The controller 22 uses the graphics data 100 and the animation 122, which is a software module related to the middleware 120, to generate an animation of spinning the reel up to the frame count at which the reel is stopped, determined in step S22, and stopping the reel at the stop position determined in S16. At this time, for example, the controller 22 may correct the length of the reel to be displayed as a spin, depending on the number of frames used in the animation of each reel. In this way, it is possible to generate an animation that stops at a predetermined stop position at a predetermined timing without changing the spin speed. The correction of the reel length is performed, for example, by omitting the display of the middle part of the reel. The controller 22 generates an animation of spinning and stopping the reel using the corrected reel, so that the determined symbol is stopped and displayed at the determined frame count. The controller 22 causes the generated animation to be displayed on the lower display 16.

[0071] Next, the controller 22 stops each reel at the determined frame count (step S32). This step is performed by the controller 22 playing the animation generated in step S30, and each reel stops at the determined frame count. Here, the timing for stopping the reels is set to a frame where the BGM becomes on-beat, so the reels stop in sync with the beat of the BGM, and no time lag occurs between the timing when the reels stop and the timing when the BGM becomes on-beat.

[0072] Next, the controller 22 performs a winning determination based on the symbols displayed on each reel (step S34). The controller 22 compares the symbol combination in the display area displayed on the lower display 16 with a winning combination. The controller 22 determines whether or not a winning combination has been obtained based on the comparison result.

[0073] If there is a winning combination in step S34, the process proceeds to payment (step S36). The controller 22 pays the player an amount of prize money according to the winning combination (step S38). On the other hand, if there is no winning combination in step S34, the controller 22 ends the process shown in FIG.

[0074] As described above, by executing the process shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to synchronize the display timing of the reel stop (an example of an event) with the beat of the BGM.

[0075] FIG. 13 is a flow chart explaining an algorithm (method MT2) used during operation of the gaming machine. Method MT2 (an example of a control method) shown in FIG. 13 is executed by the controller 22 executing the game application 92. One example of a game provided is a video slot game. Method MT2 will be explained with reference to FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a diagram explaining an example of a sound for reel stop synchronized with the beat of background music.

[0076] The process from step S40 to step S50 is the same as the process from step S10 to step S20 in Fig. 12. In the process up to this point, as shown in Fig. 14, an input to start the game is determined at time T1 when the spin button is pressed (step S44), and the frame count at which an on-beat first occurs from the frame counts after a predetermined number of frames (corresponding to time T2) is determined (step S50).

[0077] After the frame count at which the first on-beat occurs is identified, the controller 22 determines the frame count at which the first reel (virtual reel strip 72) is stopped (step S52). The controller 22 determines the frame count (corresponding to time T2) identified in step S50 as the frame count at which the first reel is stopped.

[0078] Next, the controller 22 acquires a rhythm pattern for stopping the second reel (virtual reel strip 74) to the fifth reel (virtual reel strip 80) (step S56). The controller 22 acquires a rhythm pattern for a reel stop event by referring to the rhythm pattern data 106. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the rhythm pattern shown in FIG. 11(b) is acquired for each reel.

[0079] Next, the controller 22 determines the frame count at which the second to fifth reels are stopped based on the frame count (corresponding to time T2) specified in step S50 and the rhythm pattern acquired in step S56 (step S58). As shown in Fig. 14, the controller 22 determines the frame count at which the second to fifth reels are stopped in accordance with the rhythm pattern by matching the specified frame count (corresponding to time T2) with the beginning of the rhythm pattern (the timing at which the first reel stops).

[0080] The subsequent steps S60 to S68 are the same as steps S30 to S38 shown in FIG. 12, and animation is displayed, and a prize determination and payment are performed.

[0081] As described above, by executing the process shown in FIG. 13, the display timing of the stopped reels (one example of an event) can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM, and the sound of the stopped reels can be overlaid on the beat of the BGM.

[0082] Fig. 15 is a flow chart for explaining an algorithm (method MT3) used during operation of the gaming machine. Method MT3 (an example of a control method) shown in Fig. 15 is executed by the controller 22 executing the game application 92. Method MT3 is started when, for example, in the winning determination (step S34) of Fig. 12, a combination of symbols in the display area displayed on the lower display 16 includes a combination of symbols that wins a bonus game.

[0083] 15, the controller 22 starts playing the BGM for the bonus game. The controller 22 plays the BGM sound data for the bonus game based on the sound data 102 and the BGM-related data 104, and outputs the BGM for the bonus game from the speaker 26 (step S70).

[0084] The process of the following step S72 is the same as the process of step S14 in FIG. 12, and an input for starting the game is determined.

[0085] When an input to start a game is received, the controller 22 randomly selects a scenario from a plurality of scenarios (step S74). Such bonus game scenarios can be stored in advance in the memory 42. The controller 22 refers to the memory 42 and selects one scenario from a plurality of scenarios based on a random number generated by a random number generator. In the following, a bonus game will be described by way of example, in which an object associated with a symbol displayed on the lower display 16 jumps upward on the upper display 14, and an amount according to the jump height is paid as a bonus. The object may jump multiple times. In this case, a combination of the position, number of times, height, etc. at which the object jumps is recorded in the bonus game scenario.

[0086] The process in the following step S76 is the same as the process in step S20 in FIG. 12, and the first frame count at which an on-beat occurs is identified from the frame counts after a predetermined number of frames.

[0087] Next, the controller 22 determines the frame count at which the first event occurs (step S78). As an example, the controller 22 determines the frame count determined in step S76 as the frame count at which the first event occurs. This determines the frame count at which the object starts jumping.

[0088] Next, the controller 22 determines a frame count at which a subsequent event will occur (step S80). The controller 22 determines the frame count at which a subsequent event will occur based on the frame count identified in step S76 and the tempo data of the BGM-related data 104. The subsequent event may be, for example, a second jump of the object or another movement of the object.

[0089] Next, the controller 22 generates an animation of the event and starts displaying it (step S82). The controller 22 generates an animation that operates based on the frame count determined in steps S78 and S80, based on the graphics data 100 and the animation 122. The controller 22 displays the generated animation on the lower display 16 and the upper display 14.

[0090] Next, the controller 22 displays the game results and pays out the winnings (step S84).

[0091] As described above, by executing the process shown in FIG. 15, the display timing of the bonus game (one example of an event) can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM.

[0092] As described above, according to the gaming machine 10 of the present embodiment, BGM is output from the speaker 26 in response to the player's operation, and the display of the progress of the game is started on the lower display 16. The frame count for displaying the event on the upper display 14 and / or the lower display 16 is determined based on the tempo data of the BGM, and animation data dynamically configured to display the event on the determined frame count is displayed on the upper display 14 and / or the lower display 16. In this way, since the display timing of the event is determined based on the tempo data of the BGM, the display timing of the event can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM. Furthermore, since the display timing of the event is also determined based on the user's operation, even if the reel stops (one example of an event) occur in response to the user's operation, the display timing of the reel stops can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM. This allows the gaming machine 10 to provide the player with an in-game event as a highly satisfying experience.

[0093] According to the gaming machine 10 of the present embodiment, even if a bonus game (one example of an event) occurs randomly and the timing is not uniquely determined, the screen display can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM. According to the gaming machine 10 of the present embodiment, the display timing of the event can also be synchronized with the sound for the event.

[0094] According to the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment, since an event sound can be output with a rhythm contained in a rhythm pattern, the player can easily understand that an event is occurring even if various event sounds are used. In this way, various sounds can be used as event sounds, so that the range of effects using sounds can be expanded.

[0095] According to the gaming machine 10 of the present embodiment, the timing of displaying the rotation and stop of each reel (one example of a plurality of events) on the upper display 14 and / or the lower display 16 is determined based on the rhythm determined by the rhythm pattern data 106 and the beat of the BGM, so that the display timing of the rotation and stop of each reel can be synchronized with the beat of the BGM while being placed on the rhythm determined by the rhythm pattern data 106. This allows the player to easily understand the connection between a plurality of events, and allows for a wider range of event expression using sound. By synchronizing the timing of the reel stop action, which the player pays the most attention to, with the beat of the BGM, it is possible to provide the player with a rhythmic game progression and a comfortable game that combines the BGM and the action of the reels.

[0096] Exemplary embodiments of the gaming machine, gaming system, and display method have been described above in detail. The gaming machine, system, and method are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather the gaming machine and / or system components and / or method steps may be used separately and independently from other components and / or steps described herein. For example, the gaming machine may be used in combination with other gaming systems and methods, and is not limited to implementations using only the gaming machines described herein. Rather, the exemplary embodiments may be implemented and utilized in connection with many other gaming system applications.

[0097] For example, in the embodiment, the gaming machine 10 that provides games in the form of a slot machine has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and games may be provided in the form of poker, a video card game called blackjack, bingo, keno, wheel games, etc. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to pachinko machines or pachinko slot machines.

[0098] In addition, the controller in this specification is not limited to one processor, but may include multiple processors. In other words, the controller may be referred to as a controller including a GPU.

[0099] Furthermore, the events according to the present disclosure are not limited to the events described in the embodiments. For example, the controller 22 may generate animation data that adds effects to the display during the spinning of the reels. In other words, the events may also include effects added to the display during the spinning of the reels. Furthermore, the controller 22 may turn on the illumination 36 at the on-beat timing of the background music. In other words, the events may also include the turning on of the illumination 36.

[0100] A controller, computing device, or computer as described herein includes at least one or more processors or processing units and system memory. A controller also typically includes at least some form of computer-readable media. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology that allows for the storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with a modulated data signal having one or more of its characteristics set or changed such that information is encoded into the signal. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0101] The order of execution or performance of operations in the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein is not essential unless otherwise specified. That is, operations described herein may be performed in any order unless otherwise specified, and embodiments of the invention may include more or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. For example, it is considered within the scope of aspects of the invention for a particular operation to be performed before, contemporaneously with, or after another operation.

[0102] In some embodiments, a processor as described herein includes any programmable system, including systems and microcontrollers, reduced instruction set circuits (RISC), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic circuits (PLC), and any other circuit or processor capable of performing the functions described herein. The above examples are illustrative only, and thus are not intended to limit in any way the definition and / or meaning of the term processor.

[0103] This specification uses examples, including the best mode, to disclose the invention and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and practicing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Other aspects and features of the invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described in the appended claims. It should also be noted that the steps and / or functions recited in the appended claims are not limited to any particular order of operation, regardless of the order of the recited steps and / or functions.

[0104] Although specific features of various embodiments of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only, and in accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and / or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10...gaming machine, 14...upper display, 16...lower display, 22...controller, 42...memory, 44...storage, 102...sound data, 104...BGM-related data, 1040...beat, 106...rhythm pattern data, MT1, MT2, MT3...method.

Claims

1. a display that displays a game screen having a plurality of reels on each of which a symbol is arranged, stops the reels at randomly determined positions after spinning, and displays the progress of the game including events that are added to the display while the reels are spinning; a speaker for outputting the sound of the game; a storage device for storing tempo data including beat information for the entire BGM and sound data for the BGM; a controller connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device; Equipped with The controller: while outputting the BGM to the speaker based on the sound data of the BGM stored in the storage device, starting to display the progress of the game on the display; determining a timing for displaying the event on the display that displays the event while the reel is spinning based on the tempo data; dynamically constructing animation data for spinning and stopping the reels, the animation data including displaying the event on a display during the spinning of the reels at the determined timing; displaying the dynamically constructed animation data on the display; A gaming machine that judges whether or not a prize has been won based on the combination of symbols formed by the reels that are displayed and stopped on the display.

2. In addition, it is equipped with an operation unit that accepts player operations, 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines the timing to display the event on the display based on the timing at which the player operates the operation unit and the tempo data.

3. the storage device stores event sound data; 3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller causes the speaker to output a sound related to the event sound data stored in the storage device at the determined timing.

4. the storage device stores a rhythm pattern that defines a rhythm for sequentially displaying a plurality of events; the controller determines timings for displaying a plurality of events on the display based on the tempo data and the rhythm pattern; dynamically configuring animation data so that the plurality of events are displayed sequentially at the determined timing; displaying the dynamically constructed animation data on the display; The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. It also includes illuminated lights, 5. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller turns on the illumination at the determined timing.

6. A method for controlling a gaming machine, comprising: The gaming machine includes: a display that displays a game screen having a plurality of reels on each of which a symbol is arranged, stops the reels at randomly determined positions after spinning, and displays the progress of the game including events that are added to the display while the reels are spinning; a speaker for outputting the sound of the game; a storage device for storing tempo data including beat information for the entire BGM and sound data for the BGM; a controller connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device; Equipped with The control method includes: outputting the BGM from the speaker based on the sound data of the BGM stored in the storage device by the controller, while starting to display the progress of the game on the display; determining, by the controller, a timing for displaying the event on the display that displays a display during the spinning of the reel based on the tempo data; dynamically constructing animation data for spinning and stopping the reels, the animation data including displaying the event on a display during the spinning of the reels at the determined timing by the controller; causing the controller to display the dynamically constructed animation data on the display; determining whether or not a prize has been won based on the combination of symbols formed by the reels that have been displayed and stopped on the display; Control methods.

7. A program for operating a gaming machine, The gaming machine includes: a display that displays a game screen having a plurality of reels on each of which a symbol is arranged, stops the reels at randomly determined positions after spinning, and displays the progress of the game including events that are added to the display while the reels are spinning; a speaker for outputting the sound of the game; a storage device for storing tempo data including beat information for the entire BGM and sound data for the BGM; a controller connected to the display, the speaker, and the storage device; Equipped with The program causes the controller to while outputting the BGM to the speaker based on the sound data of the BGM stored in the storage device, starting to display the progress of the game on the display; determining a timing for displaying the event on the display that displays the event while the reel is spinning based on the tempo data; dynamically constructing animation data for spinning and stopping the reels, the animation data including displaying the event on a display during the spinning of the reels at the determined timing; displaying the dynamically constructed animation data on the display; a program that causes a winning determination to be made based on the combination of symbols formed by the reels that have been displayed and stopped on the display;

Images