Pachinko machine

Abstract

To improve game properties in a special game and a high base state more than before.SOLUTION: During a variable display of special symbols, if a special game is to be performed after the termination of the variable display, a special presentation capable of suggesting a performance of a second special game instead of a first special game can be performed at a predetermined timing prior to a performance of a specific presentation that makes a definite notification of whether or not the special game is to be performed after the termination of the variable display. It is so configured that a player can set whether or not the special presentation can be performed or the player can set a probability at which the special presentation is to be performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 56

Description

Technical Field

[0001] It relates to a pachinko gaming machine.

Background Art

[0002] In conventional pachinko gaming machines, a special game is executed when the winning or losing determination result is a big win. During the execution of the special game, by causing game balls to enter a big winning opening, a large number of prize balls are obtained. Further, after the end of the special game, a shift is made to a high base state where the time is shortened, and the high base state is continued until a predetermined number of winning or losing lottery draws are performed, thereby improving the ease of obtaining the special game. Also, by providing a plurality of periods of the high base state (the number of winning or losing lottery draws for which the high base state can continue), the playability of the high base state is enhanced (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in pachinko gaming machines such as those in Patent Document 1, further improvement in the playability of special games and the high base state is required.

[0005] The present invention is made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to improve the playability of special games and the high base state more than before.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A gaming machine according to an aspect of the present invention includes: A start winning opening into which a game ball can enter, A big winning opening that can take an open state and a closed state, Judgment means for performing a success / failure judgment triggered by the entry of a game ball into the start port, A symbol display device for variably displaying and stopping a special symbol indicating the result of the success / failure judgment, Special game execution means capable of executing a special game accompanied by the opening of a big winning port when the result of the success / failure judgment is a winning, Comprising, As a display of symbols that dramatically shows the result of the success / failure judgment, it is configured to be able to display the variable display and stop display of the first symbol and the variable display and stop display of the second symbol, The display position of the first symbol may differ depending on whether the current production format is the first production format or the second production format, while the second symbol is configured to have the same display position whether the current production format is the first production format or the second production format, The first symbol can be displayed including a predetermined element and a specific element, while the second symbol is configured to be displayed including a predetermined element and not including a specific element, It is possible to execute production displays according to the type of production format, and in the second production format, it is possible to execute production displays according to the second production format, In the second production format, when a development production is executed after the start of the variable display of the special symbol, it is configured to be able to execute a production display according to the development production instead of a production display according to the second production format during the execution of the development production, In the second production format, a development production is executed after the start of the variable display of the special symbol, and when a predetermined production is executed after the execution of the development production to end the development production, it is possible to end the production display according to the development production during the variable display of the special symbol for which the development production was executed and to execute the production display according to the second production format again. However, even in a predetermined situation where the production display according to the second production format is being executed again during the variable display of the special symbol for which the development production was executed, a predetermined BGM is not output, and in a specific situation where the variable display of the special symbol for which the development production was executed ends and the variable display of the next special symbol starts, the predetermined BGM is output from the beginning, A specific type of the first symbol among the multiple types of the first symbol variably displayed in a specific symbol column among the multiple symbol columnsis the place configured such that the degree of expectation of changing to a stationary state is relatively lower compared to other symbols and The change to the predetermined mode of the display mode in the first symbol is a change in the display mode caused by the first symbol performing a predetermined operation when the first symbol is in the temporary stop display state. The variable display of the second symbol is a variable display that switches and displays multiple types of switching modes in a predetermined order. As the multiple types of switching modes, there are a first mode that is the first switching mode in the predetermined order, a middle mode that is the switching mode in the middle of the predetermined order, and a last mode that is the last switching mode in the predetermined order. Triggered by the start of the variation of the special symbol, the second symbol is switched and displayed to the first mode, then switched and displayed to the middle mode, then switched and displayed to the last mode, and then switched and displayed back to the same first mode, repeating this process to enable the repeated execution of the switching display in the predetermined order. This is a pachinko gaming machine characterized by this. <Supplementary Note> In addition, although other aspects of the present invention are listed below, they can be implemented without being limited to these at all. The gaming machine according to this other aspect is a start winning opening into which a game ball can be entered, a big winning opening that can take an open state and a closed state, a special symbol display unit capable of displaying special symbols, a main game unit that controls the progress of the game, a performance display unit capable of displaying performances, and a sub-game unit that controls the performance display on the performance display unit and is provided with configured to be able to acquire a random number based on the entry of a game ball into the start winning opening, execute a winning or losing lottery based on the random number, and configured to be able to determine a variation pattern of special symbols based on the result of the winning or losing lottery, configured to be able to variably display a special symbol on the special symbol display unit based on the determined variation pattern of the special symbol and then stop displaying the special symbol, configured to be able to execute a special game that can open the big winning opening after the result of the winning or losing lottery based on the random number is a win and the special symbol stops being displayed, As types of special games, it has at least a first special game and a second special game that is more advantageous than the first special game, During the variable display of special symbols, a special effect that can suggest that if a special game is to be executed after the end of the variable display, the second special game rather than the first special game will be executed, can be executed at a predetermined timing prior to executing a specific effect that definitely notifies whether a special game will be executed after the end of the variable display, A pachinko gaming machine is characterized in that a player can set whether to execute a special performance or can set the probability of executing a special performance.

[0007] In addition, any combination of the constituent elements according to the above invention, or those obtained by mutually substituting the constituent elements and expressions of the present invention among methods, apparatuses, systems, computer programs, recording media storing computer programs, data structures, etc., and the configurations according to the embodiments and modified examples described in the mode for carrying out the invention are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the gaming machine of the present invention, it is possible to improve the special games and the gaming properties in a high base state more than before.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] (Prior Art) Hereinafter, the pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as "prior art") on which the present invention is premised will be described with reference to the drawings. As a representative example of the pachinko gaming machine according to the prior art, the pachinko gaming machine is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the game board provided in this pachinko gaming machine is shown in FIG. 4. First, with reference to these figures, the mechanical configuration of the pachinko gaming machine will be described. In the following description, for convenience, the directions indicated by the respective arrows in FIG. 2 will be referred to as the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, respectively, for description.

[0011] [Mechanical Configuration of Pachinko Gaming Machine] First, the basic structure on the front side of the pachinko gaming machine P will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pachinko gaming machine P is configured in a rectangular outer shape, and a front frame P2 configured in a square shape with a size corresponding to the opening of the outer frame P1 is attached to the opening front surface of the outer frame P1 fixed in the gaming facility so as to be horizontally openable, closable, and detachable by upper and lower hinge mechanisms (upper hinge portion 10, lower hinge portion 20) disposed at the front left edge portions of each other.

[0012] The game board P5 and the glass frame P3 are detachably set in the front frame P2. The glass frame P3 is square-shaped and is assembled and held on the front side of the front frame P2 so as to be horizontally openable, closable, and detachable by using upper and lower hinge mechanisms (upper hinge portion 10, lower hinge portion 20). The game board P5 is detachably set on the front side of the front frame P2, and the game area P501 provided on the front side of the game board P5 is configured to be visible to the player through the glass P301 of the glass frame P3 that is closed and held. Further, the front frame P2 and the glass frame P3 are locked and unlocked by inserting a key into the keyhole of the locking portion P30 provided at the front right edge portion of the pachinko gaming machine P and rotating it in either the left-right direction. Specifically, for example, when a key is inserted into the keyhole of the locking portion P30 and rotated to the right, the locking between the outer frame P1 and the front frame P2 is released, and when a key is inserted into the keyhole of the locking portion P30 and rotated to the left, the locking between the front frame P2 and the glass frame P3 is released.

[0013] Below the lower part of the glass frame P3, upper and lower ball trays P340 (upper ball tray P341 and lower ball tray P342) for storing game balls are provided. Further, the glass frame P3 is provided with effect lamps P350 that emit light according to the progress of the game and speakers P370 that can output sounds such as sound effects according to the progress of the game. At the center of the lower part of the glass frame P3, an effect operation unit P380 for performing a predetermined effect operation is attached. The effect operation unit P380 of this pachinko machine shown as a prior art includes a push-in input type button P381 and a tilt operation type lever P382. The button P381 can always be operated by the player, while the lever P382 is one of the movable objects (frame movable accessory P360) provided on the glass frame, and when the operation means itself is displaced to a state where it protrudes upward (input permission state), operation input is possible (a plurality of operations are possible with one effect operation means).

[0014] At the lower right part of the front frame P2, a handle P204 for performing the launch operation of the game ball and adjusting the launch intensity is provided. The lower part of the front frame P2 further includes a launch device unit P240. Although not shown in the figure, there are a ball feeding mechanism P241 that sends out the game balls stored in the upper ball tray P341 one by one, a launch device P242 having a launch mechanism (a hitting hammer driven by a rotary solenoid) that hits the game balls sent out from this ball feeding mechanism toward the game area P501, a launch control board P243 that synchronously controls the operations of the ball feeding mechanism P241 and the launch device P242, and so on are provided.

[0015] The game board P5 (game board unit) is configured based on a substrate formed in a rectangular flat plate shape using transparent synthetic resin or wood, as shown in FIG. 4. Note that FIG. 1 is a front view of the pachinko game machine P including the game board P5 as seen from the front side, and FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the game board unit P5. FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which the effect device P560 (also referred to as a "movable effect device", "effect movable body", "effect movable device", etc.) provided in the game board unit is operating. On the front surface of the game board P5, there are an arc-shaped outer rail P502 arranged from the lower left to the upper right, an arc-shaped inner rail P503 arranged from the lower left to the upper left inside the outer rail P502 near the center of the lower part of the game board, and a rail ornament P504 arranged between the end of the outer rail P502 in the upper right and the lower part of the board surface and formed in a curved shape opening to the left. A substantially circular game area P501 is demarcated inside the area surrounded by the outer rail P502, the inner rail P503, and the rail ornament P504. This game area P501 has a left area P501L (left hitting area), which is the area on the left side of the center object P540 described later arranged substantially in the center, and a right area P501R (right hitting area), which is the area on the right side of the center object. Also, an outer rail and an inner rail form a guide passage for guiding the game ball launched by the launch device unit P240 into the game area P501.

[0016] In the gaming area P501, together with a number of game pins P510 and windmills P511 (not shown), there are various ball - entry devices such as the first start - winning opening P711 (the first start opening), the second start - winning opening P721 (the second start opening), the general winning opening P731, the normal - pattern operation opening P741 (normal - pattern operation gate device), the big winning opening P751 (attacker), etc. (when prize balls are generated, they are referred to as "winning devices"). Note that there may be one big winning opening or it may be configured to have multiple ones. Also, in this specification, in terms of the configuration of the ball - entry devices, for those where the game balls are discharged after entering the ball - entry device and those that further flow down the gaming area P501 after entering the ball - entry device (gate type), the detection of the game balls by the internal detection switch is referred to as "ball entry" and "winning (especially when prize balls are generated)", and for those that flow down to the downstream gaming area like the gate - type ball - entry opening, there are cases where it is specifically described separately from "passing". Also, the ball - entry device may be referred to as the ball - entry opening, and the winning device may be referred to as the winning opening.

[0017] Also, in the lower right of the gaming area P501, there are intensively arranged main - control display devices P50 such as the first special symbol display device P51, the second special symbol display device P52, and the normal symbol display device P53, which are controlled to light up by the main - control circuit board described later. In the approximate center of the gaming area P501, there is a center accessory P540 arranged, and through the opening of this center accessory P540, the screen of the effect display device P80 is provided so as to be visible. Above the center accessory P540 and other places, there is an effect accessory P560 (movable accessory device) that performs effect operations according to the progress of the game. At the lower end of the gaming area P501, there is an out - let P790 through which the game balls that flow down without entering the winning openings of various ball - entry devices can pass. The game balls that enter the winning openings of various winning devices or flow into the out - let P790 flow down to the rear side of the game board P5 through a through - hole (not shown) formed to penetrate the game board P5 back and forth, are collected in the recovery flow path (used - game ball passage) at the lower part of the front frame P2, and are discharged outside the gaming machine after passing through the out - ball sensor P792 (fired - ball number sensor) provided at the lower part of the front frame to detect the total number of fired game balls.

[0018] The first start winning device P710 is provided as a start winning device corresponding to the first special symbol game. The first start winning device P710 is provided with a first start winning port P711 into which game balls can enter. The entry of a game ball into the first start winning port P711 serves as an opportunity to obtain a random number (also referred to as the first random number, details of which will be described later) used in the lottery related to the first special symbol. Based on the entry of the game ball into the first start winning port P711, a lottery related to the first special symbol is executed immediately after the entry or after the elapse of the holding period.

[0019] The second start winning device P720 is provided as a start winning device corresponding to the second special symbol game. The second start winning device P720 is provided with a second start winning port P721 into which game balls can enter and a normal electric accessory P770 (also referred to as a variable member), which is a movable body that switches to a state that facilitates the entry of game balls into the second start winning port P721 when winning in the normal symbol lottery described later. The entry of a game ball into the second start winning port P721 serves as an opportunity to obtain a random number (also referred to as the second random number, details of which will be described later) used in the lottery related to the second special symbol. Based on the entry of the game ball into the second start winning port P721, a lottery related to the second special symbol is executed immediately after the entry or after the elapse of the holding period. The second start winning device P721 changes between an open state in which game balls can enter or it is easy for game balls to enter the second start winning port P721 (also referred to as an auxiliary game) due to the operation of the normal electric accessory P770 and a closed state in which game balls cannot enter or it is difficult for game balls to enter the second start winning port P721. That is, the second start winning device P720 has a structure in which it is difficult for game balls to enter the second start winning port unless it is displaced to the open state, and when it becomes the open state at a predetermined opportunity (the opportunity to win in the normal symbol lottery) described later, the ease of entry of game balls increases. Note that there are various forms of the structure of the normal electric accessory P770, and there may be cases where the structure does not change the ease of entry by the opening of the movable body P771. Therefore, there are cases where the "open state" and "closed state" are respectively expressed as the "easy entry state (easy entry mode)" and the "difficult entry state (difficult entry mode)".

[0020] The general winning device P730 has a left general winning device P730L arranged in the left hitting area P501L and a right general winning device P730R arranged in the right hitting area P501R. In the pachinko gaming machine P in this prior art, as the left general winning device P730L, three general winning openings P731La to P731Lc are configured as one unit, while the right general winning device P730R is configured as part of the big winning device P750 described later. The entry of a game ball into the general winning opening P731 triggers the payout of prize balls, just like in other winning devices. Note that the number and position of the general winning openings P731 of the assumed pachinko gaming machine are merely examples, and it may be configured to be arranged only in the right hitting area P501R, etc.

[0021] The normal pattern operation gate device P740 (normal pattern operation opening) is provided as a starting ball entry opening corresponding to normal pattern games. This normal pattern operation gate device P740 is provided with an operation gate P741 through which game balls can pass, and the entered game balls are configured to further flow down the downstream of the game area on the game board. The passage of a game ball through the operation gate P741 triggers a normal pattern lottery to determine whether to open the second starting winning device P720, that is, whether to operate the normal electric accessory P770. As a modification, it is also possible to configure the general winning opening P731 described above to have a function that triggers the normal pattern lottery. In this case, in addition to the function of executing the normal pattern lottery, it is also possible to provide a function of generating prize balls as one winning device (normal pattern operation winning opening).

[0022] The big winning device P750 is configured to have a big winning opening P751 (special electric accessory P755) that opens and closes when the lottery result of the first special symbol lottery or the second special symbol lottery is a big win or a small win, and there are cases where it is called an "attacker (device)" or the like. The big winning device P750 changes between an open state where a game ball can enter or easily enter the big winning opening P751 (for example, a state where the special electric accessory is activated P755), and a closed state where a game ball cannot enter or has difficulty entering the big winning opening P751 (for example, a state where the special electric accessory P755 is not activated). In a big win game, a plurality of round games (unit games) involving the opening and closing operation of the big winning opening P751 are carried out. Even when the special electric accessory P755 is in an activated state, there are cases where the movable body P756 constituting the big winning opening P751 becomes a closed mode where it is difficult for a game ball to enter due to a series of operation patterns (also called "opening patterns").

[0023] Also, depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, the big winning device P750 may have a specific area P760 (referred to as "V zone", "V area", and depending on the function, also called "probability variation function activation area", "continuous area", etc.) through which a game ball can pass. Examples of functions related to this "specific area" include: (a) activating a probability variation function (described later) after a big win game triggered by passing through the specific area during a big win game; (b) activating an accessory continuous operation device (a flag for continuously activating a special electric accessory) triggered by passing through the specific area during a small win game, and granting the right to execute a big win game; (c) determining whether to execute or not execute subsequent rounds based on whether the specific area was passed through in a specific round during a big win game. In addition, an opening and closing member P761 (valve member), which is a structure for changing the ease of passing through the "specific area", may be provided, and by diverting the flow path by the action of the opening and closing member P761, it may be configured to pass through the specific area P760 or other non-specific areas. Also, during a big win game or a small win game, there may be a period when the passage of a game ball through the specific area P761 is valid and a period when it is invalid.

[0024] In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the big winning device P750 is provided in the right area P501R (right hitting area) in the gaming area P501. Therefore, in a big win game or a small win game, when firing a game ball toward the gaming area P501, it is easy to make the game ball enter the big winning opening P751 by performing so-called right hitting, aiming at the right area P501R.

[0025] Subsequently, the basic structure on the back side of the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration will be described. On the back side of the front frame, a back set unit P4 having a window that communicates front and back for attaching the game board unit P5 in the center is attached. The back set unit P4 is provided with a storage tank P401 for storing a large number of game balls supplied from the gaming facility side, a gutter member P402 for allowing the game balls to flow down from the storage tank P401, a prize ball payout unit P410 for paying out the game balls guided by the gutter member, a back side passage member P403 for allowing the game balls paid out from the prize ball payout unit P410 to flow down to the upper ball tray P341 or the lower ball tray P342, and the like. Further, on the game ball flow path from the storage tank P401 to the ball tray P340, a ball extraction mechanism (a ball extraction operation lever P405, a valve member P406 that forms a flow path for excluding game balls from the flow path in conjunction with the operation lever) is provided.

[0026] On the back side of the game board P5, there are attached a main control board P40 (also referred to as the main game unit) that comprehensively controls the progress of the pachinko game of the pachinko machine P, a performance control board P41 (also referred to as the sub-game unit) that controls all aspects of the performance in accordance with the progress of the game accompanying the control of the main control board P40, an image control board P42 (also referred to as the image control unit) that controls the image display according to the game layout, and so on. In the pachinko machine P of this prior art, the performance control board P41 and the image control board P42 constitute a performance display unit in an assembled state integrated with a performance display device P80 (also referred to as a liquid crystal display device and a performance display unit). On the other hand, on the back side of the back set unit P4, there are attached a payout control board P43 (also referred to as the payout control unit) that controls the payout of game balls, a power supply board P44 (not shown, also referred to as the power supply unit and the power source unit) that receives power from the game facility side and supplies power to various control boards and electrical and electronic components, and so on. These control boards are respectively disposed at predetermined positions on the back of the game board P5 or the back of the back set unit P4 in an assembled state housed in a transparent resin-made board case having a caulking structure and a seal structure for preventing unauthorized modification. These control boards and the electrical and electronic components of each part of the pachinko machine are interconnected via a harness (connector cable), and the progress of the game and the execution of the performance in the pachinko machine P are configured to be possible.

[0027] [Functional Block] Figure 5 shows the functional block of the assumed pachinko machine.

[0028] The pachinko machine is configured in a form where functions are shared among a power supply board P44 that generates the power used in the game machine based on an AC power supply supplied from outside the game machine, a main control board P40 (main control CPU) that controls the basic operations and progress of the game, a payout control board P43 (payout control CPU) as a frame control device that controls the payout of bonus balls and the launch of game balls, and a performance control board P41 that controls performance operations and processes. The arrows shown in the figure indicate the relationship of transmission and reception for each function by solid arrows upward and the relationship of electrical connection by dashed arrows.

[0029] The power supply board P44 generates and supplies the electric power necessary for operation to the main control board P40, the effect control board P41, the payout control board P43, which will be described later, and various gaming devices electrically connected thereto, by operating the power switch P47 provided on the board. Although details will be described later, since the power-on operation of the power switch P47 is a switch operation that triggers the start of processing of information related to the settings of the gaming machine, the power switch is protected in a state covered by an opening / closing cover to prevent unauthorized operation.

[0030] The main control board P40 is connected to various detection switches related to the progress of the game, such as the first start winning port P711 (start port switch P712 in the special drawing 1), the second start winning port P721 (start port switch P722 in the special drawing 2), the big winning port P751 (big winning port switch P752), the normal drawing operation port P741 (normal drawing operation port switch P742), and other detection switches such as the general winning port P731 (left general winning port, right general winning port), the out port P790, etc., as well as the setting key switch P49, the vibration detection sensor P72, the magnet sensor P73, etc., which are switches and sensors used for the management of various games and anti-cheat monitoring. The main control board obtains the input of information related to the occurrence of various game states from these switches, determines the control content related to the progress of the game, and is composed of solenoids, etc., and is driven to expand the big winning port P751 in the case of a big win or a small win, and outputs information related to the driving mode to gaming devices such as the special electric accessory driving means P70 and the normal electric accessory driving means P71 that is driven to make the normal electric accessory P770 in an easy ball-in state when winning the normal symbol lottery.

[0031] Sensors, etc., connected to the main control board P40 are connected to terminals called input ports on the main control board, notify the main control board P40 of the presence or absence of the occurrence of various game states based on sensor detection as information, and receive information output from terminals called output ports, such as signals for driving the special electric accessory driving means P70, the normal electric accessory driving means P71, and the launch permission signal for the launch device P242, and control the respective devices and devices.

[0032] In addition, the main control board P40 is connected to a main control display device P50 that performs various displays such as special symbol display devices P51 and P52 (also referred to as the first special symbol display unit and the second special symbol display unit) that perform variable displays of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, a round display lamp P54 that notifies the type (number of rounds) of big wins and small wins, and a status display lamp P55 that notifies the game state, and a performance display device P59 that displays the performance of the gaming machine (for example, the base value during normal gaming, that is, the ratio of the number of winning balls to the total number of launches). Regarding the "base value", there are various other counting methods such as data counted excluding winnings at the start winning opening P711, etc. However, when necessary in the present invention, separate explanations will be provided, and details will be omitted in the description of the pachinko gaming machine as a premise.

[0033] In addition to the above, the main control board P40 is configured to be electrically connectable to devices outside the gaming machine via an external information output terminal P77, a test terminal P78, etc., and transmits and receives various control signals with each of them. Also, the main control board P40 is electrically connected to an effect control board P41 and a payout control board P43, which are other control boards inside the gaming machine.

[0034] The payout control board P43 controls the payout of prize balls by the payout device P410 based on signals indicating the payout of prize balls and the control state of the main control board transmitted from the main control board P40, and also controls the launch of game balls by the launching device unit P240 in response to the operation of the handle P204 by the player. The payout device P410 has, as an example, a payout motor P411 and a ball counting sensor P412, and is configured to be able to pay out game balls one by one by the rotation of the payout motor P411. The launching device (launching device unit) P240 is configured to move the game balls remaining in the ball tray P340 (upper ball tray P341) one by one to a launchable position by the ball feed unit P241, and then launch the game balls by hitting the game balls with a hitting mallet. In addition, the payout control board P43 is provided with a RAM clear switch P48 which is mainly used to initialize the gaming machine and clear errors that occur during play, and operation information of the RAM clear switch P48 is input to the main control board via a harness and connector used to connect the payout control board P43 and the main control board P40.

[0035] The performance control board P41 is electrically connected to the performance display device P80, the driving source and position detection sensor (for example, a driving motor, an initial position detection sensor, a performance position detection sensor) of the performance movable prop P560, the speaker P83 (upper speaker P370, lower speaker 141), the performance operation unit P380 (for example, the performance button P381, the performance lever P382, the cross key P383, etc., which are the performance operation means P81), and the performance lamp P82 (also called "decorative lamp", "board lamp (P550)", "frame lamp (P350)"), and transmits and receives various control signals between them. In addition, the performance control board P42 and the performance display device P80 may be connected via an image control board P42 (VDP) that controls the display of the performance display device P80 (for example, a device that displays images such as a liquid crystal display device). In addition, in the pachinko gaming machine based on this premise, the speaker P83 is configured to be controlled by the performance control board P41, but it may also be configured to control the speaker P83 by providing a separate audio control board equipped with an IC for audio control or the like.

[0036] Data transmission and reception between the main control board P40 and the effect control board P41 is performed in one-way data transmission and reception so that it is one-way from the main control board P40 to the effect control board P41. Since the one-way nature of data transmission from the main control board P40 to the effect control board P41 is maintained, data cannot be transmitted from the components included in the effect control board P41 to the components included in the main control board P40, and a data transmission request cannot be made either. Therefore, the effect control board P41 cannot refer to the information unless the information generated by the main control board P40 is transmitted. Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P under this premise, data transmission and reception between the main control board P40 and the payout control board P43 is two-way. However, similar to the case between the main control board P40 and the effect control board P41, it may be configured to perform one-way data transmission and reception from the main control board P40 to the payout control board P43.

[0037] [Basic Game Progression] Next, regarding the basic game progression and game method in the pachinko gaming machine P as the prior art configured as described above, it will be described according to different game states. The "game states" are roughly classified into a "normal game state" and a "special game state" in which it is easier to acquire game balls compared to the normal game state. The "normal game state" is a state aiming to acquire the right to transition to the "special game state". Among the normal game states, there are multiple game states with different degrees of advantage for the player regarding the acquisition of the right to transition to the special game state. Among the multiple normal game states, a state in which it is relatively easy for the player to acquire the right to transition to the special game state (a state more advantageous for the player than the normal game state (low probability / low base state)) is expressed as the "specific game state". The "special game state" corresponds to what is called a "big win game" and a "small win game", and means a state in which the special electric accessory driving means P70 is driven by the main control board P40 and the big winning opening P751 is opened, making it easy to acquire game balls.

[0038] [Normal Game State (Low Probability / Low Base State)] First, an explanation will be given regarding the gaming method and the progress of the game in the normal gaming state. Note that the normal gaming state described here is an explanation regarding the "normal gaming state (low probability / low base state)" (see Fig. 6), excluding the specific gaming state. It generally explains the gaming state in the situation where a player starts the game. Regarding the gaming method, the progress of the game, and the meanings of the terms "low (high) probability" and "low (high) base" in the specific gaming state, they will be described later.

[0039] As a gaming method in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), first, the player operates the handle P204 to launch the game ball towards the gaming area P501 provided on the game board P5. In the assumed pachinko machine P, in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), the player operates the handle P204 so that the game ball is launched towards the left area P501L (left hitting area) of the gaming area, and plays the game.

[0040] When the game ball is launched by the player into the left area P501L of the gaming area, the launched game ball flows down through the gaming area P501, and while its flowing direction is displaced by the game pins P510 (also called "obstacle pins" or "pins") and the windmill P511 not shown in the figure, it enters the first start winning opening P711 arranged at a position slightly below the center in the gaming area P501 of the game board, which is called "the bottom", or the general winning opening P731L of the left general winning device (winning), or it does not enter any of the winning openings and enters the out opening P790 as a played game ball. When the game ball enters the first start winning opening P711 or the general winning opening P731, the main control board P40 outputs information (control command) to the payout control board P43 to cause it to payout the number of prize balls determined for each winning opening, and the player obtains new game balls by the payout of prize balls.

[0041] Here, a start port switch P712 in the first start winning port P711 is arranged. As a gaming state (gaming result) that can occur when a player fires a gaming ball into the left area P501L in the gaming area, when a ball enters the first start winning port P711, gaming ball detection information of the start port switch P712 in the first special figure is input to the main control board P40.

[0042] When the main control board P40 receives the input of the gaming ball detection information of the start port switch P712 in the first special figure, in addition to paying out a predetermined number of gaming balls, it acquires a random number value for performing a lottery related to the control of the first special symbol. The acquisition of the random number value is based on the detection of the gaming ball. There are methods such as acquiring the random number value generated by the random number generation circuit on the electrical circuit (hard latch), or when the control device of the main control board P40 confirms the gaming ball detection information in software processing, executing a process of acquiring the random number value from the previous random number generation circuit, or acquiring a randomly updated random number value (soft latch). It is possible to use them separately according to the acquired random number value or to use them in combination. When a ball enters the general winning port, a random number related to the special symbol is not acquired, and only the payout of the bonus balls is performed.

[0043] The lottery related to the control of the first special symbol is the "Special Symbol Lottery", and the "Special Symbol Lottery" includes the "Win / Loss Lottery", the "Winning Symbol Lottery", and the "Variation Pattern Lottery". The "Win / Loss Lottery" is a process of determining whether the lottery result using the obtained random number value is a "big win" or a "loss" (depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, the lottery result may include a "small win"). The "Winning Symbol Lottery" (sometimes simply referred to as the "Symbol Lottery") is a process of determining the display pattern of the stop display symbol indicating the win / loss lottery result on the special symbol display device P51 (P52) in the main control display device P50. For one lottery result (big win, small win), one symbol can be determined from a plurality of stop display symbols, and depending on the stop display symbol determined here, it is possible to make the execution modes of the special games in the "big win" and "small win" different. The "Variation Pattern Lottery" is a process of determining at what timing to display the stop display symbol indicating the result of the win / loss lottery on the special symbol display device P51 (P52), and it determines the time (referred to as the "variation display time", "variation pattern") during which a variation display indicating that the special symbol lottery has been executed is made on the special symbol display device P51 (P52). Generally, different random number values are used for the "Win / Loss Lottery", the "Winning Symbol Lottery", and the "Variation Pattern Lottery", and they are respectively called the "win / loss lottery random number", the "symbol random number", and the "variation pattern random number". Note that the lottery related to the control of the second special symbol, which is performed based on detecting the game ball of the special figure 2 start port switch P722, is also the same "Special Symbol Lottery". Also, the explanation regarding the "Special Symbol Lottery" will be described later.

[0044] Returning to the explanation of the game method in the normal game state (low probability / low base state), in the normal game state (low probability / low base state), the player fires a game ball into the left area P501L of the game area, inserts the game ball into the first start winning port P711, executes the lottery related to the first special symbol (special symbol lottery), and aims to obtain the right to execute the special game by having the stop display symbol of the special symbol indicating a "big win" ("small win") displayed on the special symbol display device.

[0045] In addition, in the process where a player undergoes a special symbol lottery, although it has been described above that the special symbol is variably displayed according to the time determined by the variable pattern lottery, in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, during this variable display period of the special symbol, if a ball enters the newly activated winning opening (the first activated winning opening P711, the second activated winning opening P721), it has a holding function for temporarily storing the random number value corresponding to the right to execute the special symbol lottery a predetermined number of times. In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, as a holding function corresponding to the special symbol lottery based on the winning of the first activated winning opening P711, it is possible to hold up to 4 special symbol lotteries. Note that the holding function can be set for each special symbol. In the pachinko gaming machine P of this underlying technology, separately from the holding of the first special symbol, it is also possible to hold the random number value used for up to 4 special symbol lotteries for the holding function of the special symbol lottery for the second special symbol.

[0046] In this way, in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), the player fires a game ball into the left area P501L of the gaming area to execute the special symbol lottery related to the first special symbol. Then, when the lottery result that leads to a special gaming state such as a "big win" or a "small win" is displayed on the special symbol display device and the player has obtained the right to transition to the special gaming state, the gaming state of the pachinko gaming machine P transitions to the special gaming state.

[0047] [Special Gaming State] Next, an explanation will be given regarding the gaming method and the progress of the game in the special gaming state. There are "big wins (games)" and "small wins (games)" in the special gaming state. In both cases, the special electric accessory P755 operates, that is, a drive signal is output from the main control board P40 to the special electric accessory drive means P70, and the big winning opening P751 is in a state where it is easy for balls to enter. As a difference, "big wins" are based on the operation of an accessory continuous operation device that continuously operates the special electric accessory P755 multiple times, while "small wins" are significantly different in that they end with one operation of the special electric accessory. As another difference, in the operation of the special electric accessory (big win) based on the operation of the accessory continuous operation device, it is possible to adopt a more advantageous operation mode for the player regarding the operation of the special electric accessory P755. Specifically, the total opening time of the big winning opening P751 in the operating state (big win) of the accessory continuous operation device is allowed to be up to 30 seconds, while the total opening time of the big winning opening P751 in the case of a small win is limited to up to 1.8 seconds. In the following explanation regarding the gaming method and the progress of the game in the special gaming state, big wins will be used as an example for the explanation.

[0048] The progress of the special game in the pachinko game machine P of the prior art is, along the time series, an effect period called "special game start demo" (in the case of a big win, it is called "big win start demo", "consecutive accessory operation start demo", etc., and in the case of a small win, it is called "small win start demo") for notifying the player that various special games have been acquired, an operation period of one special electric accessory P755 called "round (game)" (also referred to as "unit game"), and a period called "special game end demo" (in the case of a big win, it is called "big win end demo", "consecutive accessory operation end demo", etc., and in the case of a small win, it is called "small win end demo") mainly for notifying the game results (such as the number of acquired game balls) during the special game and the type of the normal game state (including the specific game state) to which the transition destination belongs.

[0049] Next, the method of the game during each of the above-described special games will be explained. First, during the "Special Game Start Demo" period, in the pachinko gaming machine P of the prior art, the big winning opening P751 is arranged in the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the game area. Even if a game ball is launched into the left area P501L similar to the normal game state (low probability / low base state), it is almost impossible to expect the game ball to enter the big winning opening P751. Therefore, before the round game in which the big winning opening P751 becomes an easy ball-in state starts in the special game, a right hitting notification effect that prompts the player to launch a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the game area is executed using the effect display device P80, the speaker (lower speaker P141, upper speaker P370), and the effect lamp P82. The player adjusts the operation amount of the handle P204 and increases the launch intensity of the game ball according to the right hitting notification effect, and changes the launch position so that the game ball flows down into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the game area (performs right hitting).

[0050] When it comes to the "round (game)" period, in the pachinko gaming machine P of the prior art, the big winning opening P751 becomes an easy ball-in state or a difficult ball-in state by a drive signal output from the main control board P40 to the special electric accessory drive means P70. Effects such as an effect to bless the player for winning a big win (small win) according to the execution period of the special game, and an effect to suggest whether the normal game state that transitions after the special game ends becomes a specific game state more advantageous to the player are executed. The player launches a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the game area in order to make the game ball enter the big winning opening P751 and obtain a large number of game balls.

[0051] One "round (game)" period ends when the opening pattern (operation mode of the special electric accessory) of the big winning opening determined based on the type of big win (small win) is completed (the opening time has elapsed), or when a predetermined "specified number" (which may be expressed as "count", "C", etc.) of game balls enter. Then, according to the type of the special game state being executed (type of big win, small win), when all the round games to be executed are completed, the state transitions to the "Special Game End Demo" state.

[0052] Subsequently, during the "Special Game End Demo" period, in the pachinko gaming machine P of the prior art, an effect is performed to notify the number of game balls obtained during the period of the current special game state, or the cumulative number of game balls obtained in a plurality of special game states continuously performed following the specific game period described later (obtained without transitioning to the normal game state (low probability / low base state)). Also, an effect for notifying the type of the normal game state that transitions after the special game state and an effect for notifying the gaming method in the transition destination game state (such as the right hitting notification effect described above) are executed. The player operates the handle in preparation for the game corresponding to the type of the normal game state of the transition destination based on the executed effect.

[0053] In many pachinko gaming machines P as a premise, except for some exceptions, when a jackpot game is executed as a special game state, it transitions to a state where it is easy for the player to obtain the right to transition to the special game state, which is called the "specific game state" as the normal game state, and enjoys a gaming property of repeating the specific game state and the special game state continuously, so-called "continuous winning streak".

[0054] [Specific Game State] Subsequently, an explanation regarding the "specific game state" will be given. As shown in FIG. 6, there are roughly three specific game states in the specific game state. And, as elements for classifying those types, there are a "probability state" and a "base state", and the specific game state is constituted by their combination.

[0055] (Probability State) The "probability state" is based on the operating state of the "probability variation function" (also referred to as "probability variation", or "probability change" for short), which is a function that varies the probability of the winning or losing lottery in the special symbol lottery resulting in a "big win". When the probability variation function is operating and the probability of the winning or losing lottery in the special symbol lottery becoming a "big win" is higher than when it is not operating, it is expressed as "high probability (state)" (which may also be expressed as "probability change state" or "probability variation state"). When the probability variation function is not operating, it is expressed as "low probability (state)". The "high probability (state)" is a gaming state that is more advantageous than the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state) in that the probability of a big win in a single special symbol lottery is high.

[0056] (Base state) The "base state" is a state related to the "base", that is, the ratio (expected value) of the game balls obtained as prize balls when a predetermined number of game balls are launched. Generally, a state in which the operation of the ordinary electric accessory P770 is easier (more advantageous) than in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state) is called the "high base (state)" (also referred to as the "electric assist support (electric assist) state"). Depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, even if the "electric assist support function" is not operating, if the ratio of the game balls obtained as prize balls when a predetermined number of game balls are launched increases due to the switching of the recommended game ball launch position, it may also be expressed as the "high base state". The "high base (state)" is an advantageous gaming state for the player in that, during the period until a special gaming state is obtained, the number of game balls paid out as prize balls increases (it becomes easier to pay out), allowing the player to aim for the acquisition of the special gaming state while suppressing the consumption of game balls.

[0057] The "Electric Chute Support Function" is a state where the operation of the ordinary electric accessory P770 is easier than in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), and it is mainly composed of a combination of three functions (at least one of them). The three functions that make up the "Electric Chute Support Function" are "Normal Symbol Probability Variation", "Normal Symbol Time Shortening", and "Release Extension (of the ordinary electric accessory)". "Normal Symbol Probability Variation" refers to a state where the probability of activating the ordinary electric accessory in the "Normal Symbol Lottery" is high. "Normal Symbol Time Shortening" refers to a state where the time from the execution of the normal symbol lottery to the display of the result of the normal symbol lottery is shortened in the normal symbol display means P53 (also referred to as the normal symbol display section) of the main control display device P50. "Release Extension of the ordinary electric accessory" refers to changing the operation of the ordinary electric accessory P770 so that game balls are more likely to enter the winning openings related to it for the winning types selected in the normal symbol lottery. As an example, it corresponds to extending and lengthening the total time for the ordinary electric accessory to be in a state where balls can easily enter.

[0058] The "Normal Symbol Lottery" is different from the above-mentioned Special Symbol Lottery in that the Special Symbol Lottery is a lottery related to the operation of the special electric accessory P755, while the Normal Symbol Lottery is a lottery related to the operation of the ordinary electric accessory P770, and the trigger for the execution of the lottery is the entry of a game ball into the general pattern operation gate device P740. However, they are almost the same in terms of determining the success or failure, symbol, and variation pattern by lottery and having a hold function. When specifically expressing the lottery for the success or failure, symbol, and variation pattern related to the normal symbol lottery, it is expressed with "Normal Pattern" (or "Normal Symbol") at the beginning, such as "Normal Pattern Success or Failure Lottery", "Normal Pattern Symbol Lottery", and "Normal Pattern Variation Pattern Lottery".

[0059] As elements for distinguishing the types of "specific game states", "probability states" and "base states" have been described. However, as elements constituting the specific game state, there is also a "time shortening state" (also referred to as "variable time shortening state", "state in which the variable time shortening function is activated"). Generally, the "time shortening state" refers to a state in which the variable display time (variable pattern) per rotation of the special symbol is shortened, and the number of executions of the special symbol lottery per unit time increases. It is an advantageous state for the player in that they can receive more special symbol lotteries per unit time. The "time shortening state" (variable time shortening state) is often controlled simultaneously with the above-mentioned "high probability state" and "electric chu support state", and it rarely constitutes the specific game state alone.

[0060] [Specific Game State 1: Low Probability / High Base State] Returning to the explanation regarding the "specific game state", first, an explanation regarding the progress and gameplay of the game in Specific Game State 1 (low probability / high base state) shown in FIG. 6 will be given.

[0061] The transition to Specific Game State 1 (low probability / high base state) is made by the game state transitions shown in (1), (8), and (12) of FIG. 6. The game state transition conditions for (1), (8), and (12) of FIG. 6 include (a) winning a jackpot game in each state, (b) the elapse of a predetermined number of game times (only for (8)), etc. Although not shown in the figure, there is also a case where the transition is made from Specific Game State 1 to Specific Game State 1 again via a jackpot game. On the other hand, when the conditions for ending the special game state are satisfied, the transition is made as shown in (2), (7), and (11) of FIG. 6. The game state transition conditions for these (2), (7), and (11) include (c) winning a jackpot game of the type that will transition to each game state in Specific Game State 1, (d) the elapse of a predetermined number of game times (only for (2)). Note that the "number of game times" refers to, as an example, the "number of executions of the special symbol lottery".

[0062] When shifting to a specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state), in the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, both the "electric chew support function" and the "variation time shortening function" described above are in an operating state. In the arrangement configuration of each winning device on the game board P5 of the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, a normal pattern operation gate device P740 and a second start winning opening P721 related to a normal electric accessory are arranged in the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the gaming area. The player can easily receive a normal symbol lottery and a special symbol lottery by performing a "right hit" that fires a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the gaming area. Also, the assumed pachinko gaming machine P is to be controlled to the "time shortening state" described above in the specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state).

[0063] Explaining the progress of the game in more detail, when the specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state) is reached, the player fires a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the gaming area as the first step and makes the game ball enter (pass through) the normal pattern operation gate device P740. By the entry (passage) of the game ball into the normal pattern operation gate device P740, a normal symbol lottery is received on the main control board P40. Since the normal symbol lottery in the specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state) results in a win with a high probability (about 1 / 1) due to the operation of the normal pattern probability variation function, when one game ball enters (passes through) the normal pattern operation gate device P740, one operation of the normal electric accessory P770 occurs. When the normal electric accessory P770 operates, in the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, the second start winning opening P721, which is the trigger for the special symbol lottery related to the second special symbol, becomes in an easy-to-enter state for the game ball, and the player fires the game ball towards the second start winning opening P721 as the subsequent second step. When the game ball enters the second start winning opening P721, the detection information is input into the main control board P40, the special symbol lottery related to the second special symbol is executed, and the lottery related to obtaining the right to execute a special game (big win, small win) is executed.

[0064] The specific game state 1 (low probability / high base state) ends when the number of game rounds (the number of times a special symbol lottery is conducted) predetermined according to the game state transition conditions (for example, if it is a jackpot execution, the type of jackpot executed, etc.) that have led to the transition to this state elapses, or when a new jackpot game is obtained (note that there is a case where it transitions back to this state after a jackpot game). In the case of obtaining a minor jackpot game, it is often the case that the specific game state does not end, but depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, it may be designed to end by obtaining a minor jackpot game (or obtaining multiple minor jackpot games, obtaining a specific type of minor jackpot game). When the specific game state 1 (low probability / high base state) ends due to the number of game rounds, it transitions to the normal game state (low probability / low base state).

[0065] [Specific game state 2: high probability / high base state] Next, an explanation will be given regarding the progress and gameplay of the game in the specific game state 2 (high probability / high base state) shown in FIG. 6.

[0066] The transition to the specific game state 2 (high probability / high base state) is made by the game state transitions shown in (3), (7), and (9) of FIG. 6. The game state transition conditions for (3), (7), and (9) of FIG. 6 are (a) obtaining a jackpot game in each state. Although not shown in the figure, there is also a case where it transitions back to the specific game state 2 via a jackpot game from the specific game state 2. On the other hand, when the conditions for ending the special game state are satisfied, it transitions as shown in (4), (8), and (10) of FIG. 6. The game state transition conditions for these (4), (8), and (10) are (i) obtaining a type of jackpot game that will transition to each game state in the specific game state 2, and (u) the elapse of a predetermined number of game rounds.

[0067] When shifting to the specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state), in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, it is different from the specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state) in that the "probability variation function" further operates in the "high probability (state)". The progress and method of the game in the specific gaming state 2 are the same as those in the specific gaming state 1, and the difference for the player is that they can obtain a jackpot earlier due to the higher winning probability in the special symbol lottery.

[0068] The specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state) ends when the number of game times (the number of times the special symbol lottery is conducted) predetermined by the gaming state transition conditions (for example, if it is a jackpot execution, the type of jackpot executed, etc.) that have led to the transition to this state elapses, or when a new jackpot game is obtained (note that there is a case of shifting back to this state after a jackpot game). Generally, it is assumed that the specific gaming state 2 does not end when a minor win game is obtained. When the specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state) ends due to the number of game times, it usually shifts to the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), the specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state), or the specific gaming state 3 (high probability / low base state).

[0069] [Specific Gaming State 3: High Probability / Low Base State] Subsequently, an explanation regarding the progress and method of the game in the specific gaming state 3 (high probability / low base state) shown in FIG. 6 will be given.

[0070] The transition to the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state) is made by the game state transitions shown in (5), (10), and (11) of FIG. 6. The game state transition conditions for (5), (10), and (11) of FIG. 6 include (a) winning a jackpot game in each state, (b) the elapse of a predetermined number of game times (only for (10)), etc. Although not shown in the figure, there is also a case where the transition is made from the specific game state 3 to the specific game state 3 again via a jackpot game. On the other hand, when the conditions for ending the special game state are satisfied, the transition is made as shown in (6), (9), and (12) of FIG. 6. The game state transition conditions for these (6), (9), and (12) include (c) winning a jackpot game of the type that will transition to each game state in the specific game state 3, (d) the elapse of a predetermined number of game times (only for (6)).

[0071] When transitioning to the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state), in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, it becomes the "high probability (state)" in which the "probability variation function" is activated, and different from the specific game state 1 and the specific game state 2, the "electric chu support function" and the "variation time shortening function" are not activated. In the arrangement configuration of each winning device on the game board P5 of the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, a general pattern operation gate device P740 and a second start winning port P721 related to a normal electric accessory are arranged in the right area P501 (right hitting area) of the game area. However, even if the player performs a "right hit" by firing a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the game area in the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state), the probability of winning in the general pattern lottery is low, and there is no superiority in performing a right hit.

[0072] Therefore, the player will proceed with the game by performing a "left hit" by firing a game ball into the left area P501L (left hitting area) of the game area. Since it is a high probability state, the probability of winning a jackpot in the special pattern lottery is high, so the game method and game progress are the same as those in the normal game state (low probability / low base state), except that a jackpot game can be obtained early.

[0073] The specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state) ends when the number of game times (the number of times of special symbol lottery) predetermined according to the game state transition conditions (for example, if it is a jackpot execution, the type of jackpot executed, etc.) that have transitioned to this state elapses, or when a new jackpot game is obtained (note that there is a case where it transitions back to this state after a jackpot game). Generally, the specific game state 3 does not end when a small win game is obtained. When the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state) ends due to the number of game times, it usually transitions to the normal game state (low probability / low base state).

[0074] Note that the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state), unlike the panel layout configuration of FIG. 6 described as the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, arranges a third start winning port of a type that does not have a normal electric accessory P770 in the right area P501R (right hitting area), and by activating the "time shortening state", it is configured such that a large number of special symbol lotteries can be received in a short time. Depending on the arrangement configuration of the winning devices on the game board and the control of the time shortening state, there are also cases where the "right hitting" is a recommended game state.

[0075] As described above, in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, the game progress is carried out by a plurality of game states, but it is not necessarily required to have all the above-described game states. Therefore, among the game machine specifications constituted by combinations of a plurality of game states, etc., the game machine specifications (sometimes referred to as "specs") that can be adopted by the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise are exemplified below.

[0076] Regarding typical gaming machine specifications (referred to as "specs"), as an example of the type of gaming machine specifications related to the operation of the probability variation function of the special symbol lottery, it is possible to adopt "(until next time) probability variation", "ST (probability variation with limited number of times)", "V probability variation (also referred to as "ball probability", "attack round system")", and "latent probability variation". The differences in gaming machine specifications due to the differences in this probability variation function may be expressed as "This gaming machine is an '○○ machine (e.g., ST machine)'". Also, in a gaming machine without a probability variation function, there is a gaming machine specification called "small win V" where, during a small win game, by passing through a specific area P760 inside the big winning opening P751, the subsequent accessory continuous operation device will operate (i.e., shift to a big win game).

[0077] [(until next time) probability variation] First, an explanation will be given about "(until next time) probability variation". Generally, among a plurality of specific gaming states provided in a pachinko gaming machine P, as the most advantageous gaming state among the aforementioned specific gaming states, it indicates the gaming machine specifications regarding "a pachinko gaming machine in which the'specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state)' continues until the next big win game's right is obtained". In other words, a gaming machine with "(until next time) probability variation" is configured such that the'specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state)' continues until the next big win game's right is obtained and does not end depending on the number of symbol variations, etc.

[0078] Note that depending on the type of big win, there may be cases where it is controlled to the'specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state)' or the'specific gaming state 3 (high probability / low base state)'. Also, in a pachinko gaming machine in which the'specific gaming state 3 (high probability / low base state)' continues until the next big win game's right is obtained, in the sense that the probability variation function continues until the next big win, it may also be referred to as "(until next time) probability variation", but since the base state is a "low base state" and there may be cases where a game similar to the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state) is required regarding the electric chu support function, it is separated and expressed as "latent probability variation" because it is a (until next time) probability variation where the electric chu support function is not operating in this way.

[0079] [ST (Limited Consecutive Variable Probability)] Next, the "ST (Limited Consecutive Variable Probability)" will be explained. "ST" is an abbreviation of "Special Time". Generally, it indicates the specifications of a pachinko machine for which "a special symbol lottery is conducted a predetermined number of times (a symbol variation is executed a predetermined number of times) for the 'Specific Game State 2 (High Probability / High Base State)', or the pachinko machine continues until it acquires the right to a big win game".

[0080] Note that depending on the type of big win, there may be cases where it is controlled to the Specific Game State 1 (Low Probability / High Base State) or the Specific Game State 3 (High Probability / Low Base State). Also, similar to the "Variable Probability until Next Time" described above, for the case where the game state is controlled to conduct a special symbol lottery a predetermined number of times for the Specific Game State 3 (High Probability / Low Base State) or until it acquires the right to a big win game, it is also possible to configure it to have a state called "Latent Variable Probability (Latent ST)".

[0081] Also, even in the case of "ST (Limited Consecutive Variable Probability)", if it is a game machine specification where a big win until the next time is substantially guaranteed in a high probability state, such as when the period during which the game state is controlled to ST is set so that the symbol lottery is conducted "until 10,000 times", it may be expressed as "Variable Probability until Next Time".

[0082] As described so far, "Variable Probability until Next Time" and "ST (Limited Consecutive Variable Probability)" distinguish the "Variable Probability State" as a game machine specification in that the end period of the probability variation function of the special symbol lottery is different. On the other hand, like the "V Variable Probability (Ball Probability / Attack Round System)" to be explained below, there are cases where the game machine specifications ("specs") are expressed by requiring special conditions regarding the presence or absence of the operation of the probability variation function of the special symbol lottery in a specific game state, that is, regarding the start of the execution of the probability variation function.

[0083] [V Variable Probability] Next, the specifications of a pachinko machine called "V Probability Variation" will be described. "V Probability Variation" refers to a situation where, during a jackpot game before the game state transitions to a specific game state, when a game ball passes through a "specific area P750" (which may also be referred to as a "V zone" or "V area") provided within the big winning opening P751 under predetermined conditions (such as during the execution of a specific jackpot round), control is carried out to transition to a specific game state (such as specific game state 1 or specific game state 3) accompanied by the activation of the probability variation function after the jackpot game. This shows the specifications of a pachinko machine. Regarding the "specific area" used in "V Probability Variation", it may also be particularly referred to as the "probability variation function activation area".

[0084] As described above, "V Probability Variation" is a specification of a pachinko machine indicating that the activation or non-activation of the probability variation function depends on the game result during the jackpot game (depending on whether the game ball passes through the specific area P760). When the activated probability variation function ends with the same control as the "probability variation until next time" described earlier or ends with the same control as "ST", expressions indicating different pachinko machine specifications such as "V Probability Variation (V-loop)" and "V-ST" are used.

[0085] In the pachinko machine P that adopts "V Probability Variation" as a machine specification, if there is no V win during the jackpot game, the probability variation function does not activate after the jackpot game, and it is controlled to the normal game state or specific game state 1 (low probability / high base state). Also, whether the probability variation function activates after the jackpot game is switched depending on whether there is a V win or not in this way, and at the same time, the activation mode of the electric chu support function can also be changed. As an example, in the "V Probability Variation (V-loop)" machine, if there is a V win, the probability variation function and the electric chu support function continue until the next jackpot is won. If there is no V win, the probability variation function does not activate, and the electric chu support function is also restricted until 100 special symbol lotteries are conducted.

[0086] [Small Jackpot V] Next, a description will be given of a slot machine specification called "Small Win V", which is a slot machine specification (specification) that can provide a gaming state advantageous to the player regarding big win acquisition without a probability variation function.

[0087] "Small Win V" is a slot machine specification in which, during a small win game (while a special electric accessory is operating) that is executed when the result of a special symbol lottery is a small win, when passing through a "specific area P760" (which may be referred to as a "V zone", "V area", etc.) provided inside the big winning opening P751, the accessory continuous operation device is operated following the small win game, that is, a big win game is started. In other words, it is a slot machine specification in which by passing through the specific area P760 during a small win, a big win game can be obtained without obtaining a result that is a big win as the result of a special symbol lottery.

[0088] "Small Win V" has a gaming property of "type 1 (pachinko)" in which the accessory continuous operation device or a special electric accessory is operated as the result of a special symbol lottery. When passing through the specific area P760 during the operation of a special electric accessory while the accessory continuous operation device is not operating (while the big winning opening P751 is open), the accessory continuous operation device is operated. In some cases, it may be expressed as "type 1 small win V". On the other hand, since it has a gaming property similar to that of the so-called "type 2 pachinko" slot machine specification in conventional pachinko machines, there are cases where it is expressed as a "type 1 and type 2 hybrid machine", etc.

[0089] Generally, in pachinko machines that adopt "Small Win V" as a slot machine specification, they do not have a probability variation function (probability variation function), and the degree of advantage is changed depending on the presence or absence of an electric chu support function. That is, by configuring the winning opening related to the normal electric accessory P770, which becomes easier to win when the electric chu support function is activated, as a starting winning opening that is a variation trigger for a special symbol that is likely to be selected as a small win (for example, winning as a small win with a probability of 1 / 2), it becomes easier to be selected as a small win in a situation where the electric chu support function is activated, and it becomes possible to aim for a big win with a V win during a small win game. By doing so, instead of increasing the range of random number values that result in a big win like a probability variation function, it has a gaming property of increasing the possibility of obtaining a big win with small wins.

[0090] [Other gaming machine specifications (specs)] The gaming machine specifications described above are representative, and there are several other characteristic gaming machine specifications known. Therefore, a brief explanation will be given below regarding them.

[0091] (Limiter) The "limiter" is a function that restricts the operation of the probability variation function or the electric cheat support function when a specific gaming state in which the probability variation function or the electric cheat support function operates repeatedly with a jackpot game in between (so-called "continuous win" state) occurs, and when the predetermined number of repetitions (number of continuous wins) is reached. Even when a jackpot game that should originally activate the probability variation function or the electric cheat support function is executed, it is a function that restricts the operation of the probability variation function or the electric cheat support function. The function that restricts the "probability variation function" based on the number of consecutive times as the limiter function is called the "probability variation limiter", and the function that restricts the "electric cheat support function" based on the number of consecutive times is called the "time reduction limiter (electric support limiter)". And a gaming machine equipped with the limiter function is called a "limiter machine".

[0092] (Falling) "Falling" indicates a gaming machine specification that executes a "falling lottery" to determine whether to end the probability variation function each time the special symbol lottery is conducted during the period when the probability variation function of the special symbol lottery is operating. In a situation where the electric cheat support function is operating together with the probability variation function, when winning the falling lottery, the operation of the electric cheat support function may end in accordance with the end of the probability variation function, or only the probability variation function may end and the operation of the electric cheat support function may continue.

[0093] Note that the above-described gaming machine specifications can be combined in multiple ways. For example, when combining "ST" and "falling", in the case of specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state), when any one of (1) winning the falling lottery, (2) conducting the special symbol lottery a predetermined number of times, or (3) obtaining the right to a jackpot game is satisfied, specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state) ends (transitions to another gaming state).

[0094] Next, an explanation will be given regarding the control of the main control board P40 that controls the progress of the game in the pachinko gaming machine P assumed as a premise. Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P assumed as a premise described in this embodiment, an explanation will be given on the premise of a pachinko gaming machine that adopts "ST (probability variation by number of times cut)" as the above-described gaming machine specifications (specs). In the explanation of the embodiment, the notation "P-s〇〇" indicating the processing step in the figure will be described as "step 〇〇" in the text.

[0095] [Power-on processing of the main control board (main control board main loop processing)] When the power of the pachinko gaming machine P assumed as a premise is turned on, the main control board P40 of the pachinko gaming machine P first executes the power-on processing (step 1000). Here, the details of the power-on processing will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0096] When the power-on processing is started in the main control board P40 of the pachinko gaming machine P assumed as a premise, initial settings related to the operation of the CPU, which is an arithmetic device provided on the main control board P40, are performed (step 1002). The initial settings appropriately perform the settings necessary for the subsequent operation of the CPU, and the details thereof will be omitted.

[0097] When the CPU initial settings are completed, subsequently, the input port confirmation process (step 1004) and the power-off information confirmation / checksum process (step 1006) are executed, and based on the contents of these processes, a process related to the game stop state setting process (step 1008) is performed.

[0098] More specifically, the input port confirmation process (step 1004) is a process of generating information for determining whether to set (turn on) a flag indicating whether the "setting change process" for changing the "setting value" for changing the degree of advantage of the special symbol lottery of the pachinko gaming machine P (especially the operation probability of the accessory continuous operation device, that is, the jackpot probability) is in a state where it can be performed, and whether the "setting confirmation process" for confirming the "setting value" is in a state where it can be performed, in the game stop state setting process performed after the process. In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, data including data indicating the detection status of the frame opening switch P131 (a switch for detecting that the front frame is open with respect to the outer frame), the detection status of whether the ram clear switch P48 is operated by the player, and the detection status of whether the setting key switch P49 is rotated is generated as 1-byte data.

[0099] In the subsequent power-off information confirmation / checksum process (step 1006), it is a process of confirming whether, when the power was turned off last time, the pachinko gaming machine P normally turned off the power and the control data related to the game state at the time of power-off was normally saved and stored in the storage area of the CPU of the main control board P40. If it is not normal data, it is a process of setting (turning on) a flag so that the game is stopped in the game stop state setting process (step 1008) described later as an error.

[0100] The "game stop state setting process" (step 1008) is a process of setting a flag so that the player cannot actually play the game after the process in the power-on process is completed and the process shifts to the main loop process to start the game. Based on the processing results of the input port confirmation process (step 1004) and the power-off information confirmation / checksum process (step 1006), it is a process of setting a flag to shift to any one of the game progress non-permissible states of "setting change state", "setting confirmation state", and "irreversible error state". The details of the "game stop state setting process" are described in FIG. 8, and the description will be made based on the description in FIG. 8.

[0101] In the game stop state setting process, first, it is determined whether the frame is open based on the 1-byte data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 1004) (step 1100). If the front frame P2 of the pachinko gaming machine P is open with respect to the outer frame P1 at the time of power-on (the situation where YES is obtained in step 1100), since a specific bit of the 1-byte data is "1", the process of the subsequent step 1102 is omitted. On the other hand, when the frame is not open at the time of power-on of the pachinko gaming machine, it is considered that a part of the essential operations for executing the setting change process is not satisfied, and the operation information of the setting key switch is calculated from the 1-byte data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 1004) so as to be off data. Although not shown, in either the case where YES is obtained in step 1102 or the case where NO is obtained, the bit indicating that the frame is open is also calculated to be off data from the 1-byte data.

[0102] In the subsequent step 1104, it is determined whether the 1-byte data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 1004) is information that can determine that there is a setting change operation. In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the situations determined to have a "setting change operation" are: (1) the frame release switch P131 is on (the frame is being released at power-on), (2) the setting key switch P49 is on (being rotated), and (3) the ram clear switch P48 is on. These three states are required. As described above, among the 1-byte data, the information of the frame release switch P131 is set to off, and in this step, it is determined whether both (2) and (3) are satisfied. For example, when specific two-bit data is "1", it is determined that there is a setting change operation (note that the active data indicating that the two switches are on does not necessarily have to be "1", and either one of the data may be "0"). And when it is determined that there has been a setting change operation, that is, when it is determined YES in step 1104, data indicating "during setting change" is stored as the game stop state flag, and the game stop state setting process ends (steps 1106, step 1118). On the other hand, when it is determined NO in step 1104, the process proceeds to the subsequent step 1108. In addition, when the set value information stored in the ram (RAM = Random Access Memory) of the main control board P40 is abnormal data (in the case of a return operation from an irrecoverable error state), data corresponding to the set value "1" is set in the area where the set value is stored as the initial set value (step 1118).

[0103] Next, in step 1108, it is determined whether a game stop error has occurred. A game stop error refers to an error that requires RAM clear and setting value setting (change) processing when the game cannot proceed, such as a checksum abnormality (RAM abnormality) or a setting value abnormality. The determination in step 1108 is based on the processing result of the power-off information confirmation / checksum processing (step 1006) and the error information stored during the previous power-off processing to determine whether the game stop state should be set. If it is determined that the error state should be set (when the determination in step 1108 is YES), the game stop state flag is set to the "irrecoverable error state" to end the game stop state setting process (steps 1110 and 1118). If it is determined that no error has occurred, the process proceeds to the subsequent step 1112.

[0104] In the subsequent step 1112, it is determined whether the RAM clear switch P48 has been operated. In the game stop state setting process, as the state when proceeding to this step, (a) when an operation to shift to the setting confirmation state has been performed, in other words, among the determinations of "there is a setting change operation", (1) the frame release switch P131 is on (the frame is open at power-on), (2) the setting key switch P49 is on, and (3) the RAM clear switch P48 is not on; (i) when a RAM clear operation for data clearing has been performed, in other words, (2) the setting key switch P49 is not on and (3) the RAM clear switch P48 is on; (iii) when the power is turned on without any operations such as "setting change operation", "setting confirmation operation", or "RAM clear operation". And in these states, the 1-byte data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 1004) is in any of the following situations: (a) the bit data indicating the on / off of the setting key switch P49 is "1 (on data)"; (i) the bit data indicating the on / off of the operation detection state of the RAM clear switch P48 is "1 (on data)"; (iii) all the 1-byte data is off data (for example, all bits are "0").

[0105] Then, it is determined whether there is an operation of the RAM clear switch P48 in step 1112. If there is a RAM clear operation (when it is determined as YES in step 1112), the pachinko gaming machine performs a process of clearing the game stop state flag in order to shift to the playable state after performing the RAM clear (step 1114). On the other hand, outside the situation where the RAM clear operation is performed, the current 1-byte data is set as it is. At this time, when the operation of shifting the game stop state flag to the "setting confirmation state" is being performed (when it is determined as NO in step 1112), the bit data indicating the operation status of the setting key switch P49 is "1", and the data indicating "during setting confirmation" is stored in the 1-byte data indicating the game stop state flag (step 1118). Also, when neither the RAM clear operation nor the operation of shifting to the setting confirmation state is performed, the 1-byte data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 1004) is originally data indicating no game stop as the game stop state flag, and is set as no game stop information.

[0106] Regarding the game stop state flag set in the "game stop state setting process" (step 1008), if a value indicating some stop state is stored, in the interrupt process (step 2000) which is the main body of the game progress control executed after shifting to the main loop (steps 1028 to 1036) which is the game allowable state in the power-on process (step 1000), the value indicating the stop state is referred to, and the progress of the game described as "basic game progress" cannot be made. These controls will be described in the explanation of the interrupt process described later.

[0107] Returning to the description of the power-on process in FIG. 7, the subsequent processes will be described. When the game stop state setting process (step 1008) ends, it is determined whether there has been a RAM clear operation (step 1010). The RAM clear operation is that the RAM clear switch P48 is operated when the pachinko gaming machine P is powered on. Note that this process is executed whether the setting key switch P49 is off or on. If it is determined in step 1010 that there has been a RAM clear operation, a predetermined portion of the storage area in the RAM of the main control board P40 is initialized from the storage area.

[0108] In the subsequent processes from step 1014 to step 1020, a process is performed to set an effect control command (effect command) for causing the effect control board P41 to recognize the state of the gaming machine from the main control board P40 when the power is turned on. More specifically, in step 1014, a process is performed to clear the effect control commands that were not transmitted when the power was last turned off (when a power failure occurred) from the storage area. Then, in step 1016, information regarding the current gaming state of the main control board P40 that has returned after the power is turned on is generated as an effect control command, and if it is determined in step 1018 that the game is not in a stopped state, then in step 1020, the effect control command indicating the returned gaming state that has been generated is set in the area that stores the transmission data of the effect control command.

[0109] When the process related to setting the effect control command at power-on ends, necessary data (drive signal) is output from the output port to the special electric accessory drive means P70 and the normal electric accessory drive means P71 in order to return the big winning opening P751 (special electric accessory P755) and the normal electric accessory P770 to the state before the power failure. (Step 1022)

[0110] When the processing up to step 1022 in the power-on process is completed, the CPU of the main control board P40 is subjected to a process of setting the generation interval of the interrupt processing time (step 1024). In the pachinko game machine P under consideration, the interval for executing the interrupt processing (Figure 9, step 2000) described later is set to 4 ms (milliseconds). When this process is completed, the program proceeds to a cyclic process called the main loop in which the player can play the game, and the execution of the cyclic process in the main loop is repeated until a power-off occurs.

[0111] (Main loop) As shown in Figure 7, the processing of the main loop of the main control board first performs a process of prohibiting the generation of interrupt processing at step 1026, and restricts the execution of the interrupt processing until the processing of the main loop is completed (until interrupts are permitted at step 1036).

[0112] When interrupts are prohibited, in the subsequent step 1028, the area storing the timing information for monitoring the occurrence of a runaway of the CPU of the main control board P40 called the watchdog timer (a situation where the processing loops and does not progress) is cleared (initialized).

[0113] Then, at step 1030, it is determined whether a power-off has occurred (for example, whether a power-off signal sent based on a voltage drop from the power supply board P44 is input to the input port of the CPU of the main control board P40). If it is determined that a power-off has occurred, the current game state is stored, and a power-off process (step 1032) is executed in which the power-off information and checksum information are stored and the processing as the CPU of the main control board P40 is stopped. If it is determined that a power-off has not occurred, the process proceeds to the subsequent processing.

[0114] In step 1034, a process is performed to update the random numbers used for the special symbol lottery and the random number values used for the normal symbol lottery. Note that the update of these random number values may also be performed in the interrupt process described later. This is a process to prevent the random number update cycle from becoming constant due to the random numbers being updated only in the interrupt process. Note that in the interrupt process, if there are processes that are executed irregularly, it is also possible to prevent the random number update cycle from becoming constant by adopting methods such as updating the random number values in accordance with those processes. Therefore, it is not essential to provide a random number update process within the main loop.

[0115] Step 1036 is the last process in the main loop and performs a process to enable interrupts. Immediately afterwards, it will return to the interrupt disable of step 1026, which is the first process in the main loop. However, when the process of step 1036 that enables interrupts is performed, if there is an input indicating the interrupt execution cycle (a state where 4 ms has elapsed since the occurrence of the previous interrupt process) in the CPU of the main control board P40, the interrupt process described later will be executed.

[0116] [Interrupt Process] Subsequently, the interrupt process (also referred to as the "timer interrupt process") performed by the CPU of the main control board P40 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, most of the progress of the game is controlled by the interrupt process (step 2000), and it is configured to generally read and control the sub-module programs provided to be changeable according to the gaming machine specifications (specifications) in a certain order. The processes related to those sub-modules will be briefly described below.

[0117] (Watchdog Timer Clear) At the beginning of the interrupt process, a process for clearing the watchdog timer is provided. This process is the same as the watchdog timer clear process in the main loop process (FIG. 7, steps 1026 to 1036) executed by the CPU of the main control board P40 described above. (Step 2002)

[0118] (Input Port Confirmation Process) The input port confirmation process is a process that generates information that can identify whether there is input information as necessary for judgment in subsequent processes by confirming the information input to the input port of the CPU on the main control board P40. (Step 2004)

[0119] The information input to the input port includes input signals related to artificial operations such as input signals indicating the operation status of the ram clear switch P48 and the setting key switch P49, and input signals indicating the operation status (presence or absence of touch) of the handle P204; input signals indicating game results by detecting game balls such as the start port switch P712 in the special figure 1 and the big winning port switch P752; input signals indicating the detection status of sensors provided for anti-cheating monitoring such as the magnetic sensor P73, the door open sensor P131, and the vibration detection sensor P72.

[0120] In the input port confirmation process, the input signals of these input ports are read three times at 10 μs (microseconds), and the data that becomes the same data (the same bit) in all readings is stored in the ram of the main control board P40 as the input data (referred to as "level data") in this interrupt. For the parts that do not become the same data in all readings among the three readings, the data determined in the previous interrupt process (the interrupt process 4 ms ago) is adopted as the level data. That is, if the data cannot be read normally in this interrupt, the data stored in the previous interrupt is not updated.

[0121] When the input data (level data) in this interrupt is determined, a comparison operation is performed with the input data in the previous interrupt to generate "rising data" (data that identifies the bits where the input data changes from off to on), and data that identifies the switch that has switched to an on input in this interrupt is stored.

[0122] (Random Number Update Process) The random number update process is a process of updating so-called soft random numbers, which are randomly generated values that are updated software-wise among various random numbers such as the win / loss random number, symbol random number, variation pattern random number related to the special symbol lottery, and the general win / loss random number, general symbol random number, general variation pattern random number of the general symbol lottery (step 2006). In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the random numbers used for the special symbol lottery and the general symbol lottery are configured to have a specification in which the random numbers are updated by the random number generation circuit at the circuit update cycle and those updated at a soft cycle, and by combining them, the randomness of various random numbers at the time of random number acquisition is maintained.

[0123] In the random number update process, as described above, a process of updating the soft random number is performed. As methods of update, examples include: (a) incrementing (+1) or decrementing (-1) the random number and setting the lower limit value (or upper limit value) when the upper limit (or lower limit) of the random number range is exceeded; (i) subtracting (or adding) an arbitrary prime number from the random number and adding (or subtracting) a value of random number range +1 (or random number range -1) when the random number range is exceeded; (u) repeatedly incrementing (or decrementing) from the random number set as the initial value, and when one cycle of update is completed, setting the "initial value random number" updated separately as the new initial value and repeating the same update (also referred to as the initial value update type random number). Note that the update method is not limited to those exemplified in this embodiment, and any method may be adopted as long as the randomness of the random number can be maintained.

[0124] (Setting control process) The setting control process is a process performed when the game stop flag set during the power-on process (see Fig. 7) in the CPU of the main control board P40 is "during setting change" or "during setting confirmation". (Step 2008)

[0125] In the setting control process, first, it is determined whether the bit data indicating the setting key operation during the power-on process and stored as a game stop flag is on data. If it is not on data, that is, if the setting key was not turned on during the power-on of the pachinko machine, this process is configured to exit.

[0126] On the other hand, when the bit data indicating the setting key operation in the game stop flag is on data, in order to determine whether to end "during setting change" and "during setting confirmation", the input information of the setting key switch P49 in the current interrupt process (generated in the above-mentioned input port confirmation process) is referred to. When the setting key switch P49 is turned off, the game stop flag is cleared to make the game playable, and then, according to whether it is a return from either the "setting change state" or the "setting confirmation state", an effect control command for causing the effect control board to resume (or start) the effect is set.

[0127] Also, in the power-on process (refer to Fig. 7), when the game stop flag is "during setting change", the operation status of the ram clear switch P48 (the switch operated to change the set value), which serves as the "setting change switch" at this interrupt timing, is checked during the period until the setting key switch P49 is turned off. When the game stop flag is "during setting change", if rising edge data related to the operation of the setting change switch P48 is generated in this interrupt, the data is changed so that the "set value" becomes the next set value in the predetermined change order. For example, for a pachinko machine P having set value data that switches in order from 1 to 6, each time there is rising edge data based on the operation of the setting change switch (ram clear switch P48), a process of increasing the set value by "1" (changing to 1 as the next value when the set value before the operation is 6) is performed in this setting control process.

[0128] In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, by providing the processing in the setting change state and the setting confirmation state during the interrupt processing (see Fig. 9), the operations of the setting key switch and the setting change switch are monitored at the cycle of the interrupt processing, and at the same time, it is possible to output display data to the display device in the LED output processing described later. During the power-on process (see Fig. 7) where no separate interrupt processing setting is made, it is possible to omit setting a program for periodic monitoring. Note that during the power-on process, it may be configured to monitor switches related to setting changes and setting confirmations, control the display device, and perform update processing of setting values.

[0129] (Game Stop Monitoring Process) The game stop monitoring process is a process of reading the data of the game stop flag generated during the power-on process (see Fig. 7) executed by the CPU of the main control board when the pachinko gaming machine is powered on, and confirming whether the game is in a stopped state. (Step 2010)

[0130] In the game stop monitoring process, if any game stop information (game stop flag) is stored in the read game stop flag data, for example, if the data of the game stop flag is not 0 and any bit is "1", it is determined that the game is in a stopped state (a state where game stop is necessary), and as being in the game stop state, some of the processing during the interrupt processing (from "Timer Subtraction Processing (Step 2014)" to "Special Electric Device Control Processing (Step 2028)" in Fig. 9) is omitted.

[0131] In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, as states where game stop is necessary, that is, states where it is impossible for the player to play the game, examples include "during setting change", "during setting confirmation", and "during occurrence of an irrecoverable error".

[0132] (Timer Subtraction Processing) The timer subtraction process is a process of updating the timer data used for managing the time related to the progress of the game (Step 2014).

[0133] As an example of the update process of timer data, there are the management of the variable display time set when the variable display of special symbols starts, the update process of timer data triggered by the progress of the game such as the operation time of the special electric accessory P755 during the big win game (the opening time of the big winning opening P751), the timing process for error determination such as detecting a ball jam, the process for timing the switching time for switching the lighting pattern of the LEDs in the main control display devices P50 such as the special symbol display devices P51 and P52, and the process for timing the period for outputting information to external devices (such as hall computers) from the external information output terminal P77, etc.

[0134] The timer data updated in the timer update process is divided into types of timer data such as "1-byte timer" and "2-byte timer" in the storage area (RAM storage area) of the main control board P40 and stored in continuous storage areas respectively.

[0135] In the timer update process, processes such as "1-byte timer update process" and "2-byte timer update process" are performed on the storage areas storing the types of those individual timer data, and the process of updating the time values of various timers is performed. The update process of the timer performs the process of decrementing (-1) the timer data stored in the storage area. In addition, when the stored timer data is already "0", it is processed so as to remain "0" after the process (such as setting it to "0" when it becomes a negative value or not decrementing it when it is "0").

[0136] Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, since the period of one interruption is 4 ms, in the case of the data of the 1-byte timer, only the management target that ends with a maximum of 255 updates (about 1 second) can be controlled. However, when there is no (or little) game information managed within 1 second, it is also possible to configure it to consist only of 2-byte timer data and not have the 1-byte timer update process. Also, when it is necessary to manage time values that cannot be managed even by the 2-byte timer, it may be configured to have timer data such as "3-byte timer" that can manage longer times.

[0137] (Valid Period Setting Process) The valid period setting process is a process of setting the valid period for a winning opening (mainly the winning openings related to the big winning opening P751 and the ordinary electric accessory P770) that can be changed to an easy ball entry mode or a difficult ball entry mode during the period of controlling to the easy ball entry mode and the valid extension period, and setting the invalid period for other periods (when the winning opening is in the difficult ball entry mode and other than the valid extension period). (Step 2016)

[0138] In the pachinko gaming machine as a premise, it is a process of setting the winning of the second start winning opening P721, which is the second start winning device P720 equipped with the big winning opening P751 as the big winning device and the ordinary electric accessory P770, as the valid period.

[0139] Note that the valid extension period is a control period of a certain time appropriately set according to the structure of the electric accessory in order to handle the game balls that enter immediately before the big winning opening P751 or the ordinary electric accessory P770 shifts to the difficult ball entry mode as valid wins, and is treated as the valid period even after the control period for executing the opening control for electric accessories such as the big winning opening P750 (special electric accessory P755) and the ordinary electric accessory P770 has passed.

[0140] Also, depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, when there is a specific area P760 (V area), a valid extension period for the passage of game balls related to the specific area P760 may also be set. In such a case, the setting of the valid period for the specific area is also performed in this process.

[0141] (Winning Monitoring Process) The winning monitoring process is a process of determining whether it is a valid win based on the winning of game balls for various winning openings (big winning opening P751, start openings P711, P721, general winning opening P731) in the pachinko gaming machine, and generating information that serves as an opportunity for performing the process of generating the right (occurrence of reservation) for the special symbol lottery for winning balls and start opening entries. (Step 2018)

[0142] As for the processing content, based on the data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 2004), for each of various winning ports in a predetermined order, (a) detect the presence or absence of a win, (b) in the case of a winning port having an expiration period, determine whether it is a win during the expiration period. When a valid win occurs for each of the various winning ports, further, (c) set an effect control command indicating the win information for each of the various winning ports to be transmitted to the effect control board P41, and (d) update the counter value (referred to as the "win counter") for storing the number of occurrences of the operation trigger based on the win for each of the various winning ports (in other words, update the counter value for storing the number of unprocessed operations among the operations based on the detection of each of the various winning ports).

[0143] Note that in the win monitoring process, not only the occurrence of a win for each of the various winning ports, but also the out ball detection switch P792 provided for counting out balls, the operation port switch P742 that triggers the normal symbol lottery, and for some game machine specifications, the entry and passage of game balls into and through a specific area P760 (V area) are also determined. In addition to the occurrence of prize balls and the occurrence of the trigger for the special symbol lottery, the presence or absence of the detection of game balls required for the operation of the game machine (for example, the process of transmitting information indicating that the operation port switch P742 or the specific area P760 has been passed to the effect control board P41) is performed in this process.

[0144] (Operation port monitoring process) In the operation port monitoring process, when rising data of the normal drawing operation port switch P742 is generated from the data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 2004), a process related to the occurrence of a hold related to the normal symbol lottery (also referred to as a normal symbol hold) is performed. (Step 2020)

[0145] More specifically, when the detection of the general pattern operation port switch P742 occurs, the number of holds related to the general pattern lottery is confirmed. If the number of holds is less than the upper limit, since a random number can be stored as a new hold, after incrementing (+1) the data in the storage area storing the number of holds to increase the hold number information by one, the general pattern win / lose random number, the general pattern symbol random number, and the general pattern variation pattern random number are obtained from the random number generation circuit, or the current corresponding software random number is obtained and stored as a hold.

[0146] (General Pattern Control Process) The general pattern control process performs the general pattern lottery, the variable display of the general pattern, and the process related to the operation of the general electric accessory P770 (step 2022). These processes shift to different sub-module processes according to the data indicating the control state of the general pattern and the general electric accessory, which is called the general pattern status, and perform control according to the state. The general pattern status includes "0: Waiting for the general pattern", "1: General pattern in variation", "2: General pattern stopped and displayed", "3: General electric accessory operating", "4: General electric accessory ending demonstration", and corresponding processes are performed for each state.

[0147] 《General Pattern Variation Start Monitoring Control Process》 The general pattern variation start monitoring control process is a sub-module process called from the general pattern control process when the general pattern status is "0: Waiting for the general pattern".

[0148] In the general pattern variation start monitoring control process, first, it is confirmed whether the number of holds related to the general pattern lottery is "0". If it is "0", since the right to vary the general pattern has not occurred, the general pattern control process is exited. On the other hand, if the number of holds related to the general pattern lottery is not "0", it is in a state where the right to vary the general pattern has occurred, and it is determined that the start condition of the general pattern variation is satisfied, and the process related to the start of the general pattern variation is executed.

[0149] When it is determined to start the variation of the normal symbol, after subtracting 1 from the hold number information in the area for storing the hold number information related to the normal symbol lottery, the normal win / loss random number, the normal symbol random number, and the normal variation pattern random number are called respectively to conduct the normal win / loss lottery, the normal symbol lottery, and the normal variation pattern lottery, and the lottery results are stored in the storage area of the main control board. At the same time, the random number information used this time is cleared and a shift process is performed so that the storage area of the hold number information is processed in the order of storage, and the normal symbol status is updated to "1: During normal symbol variation". Regarding the normal symbol lottery, different lottery tables are used according to the operating status of the "base state" (probability variation function of the normal symbol, variation time shortening function of the normal symbol) described above. In the high base state, it is more likely to be a win, and the variation display time of the normal symbol tends to be short and is likely to be determined as such.

[0150] 《Processing during normal symbol variation》 The processing during normal symbol variation is a sub-module processing called from the normal symbol control processing when the normal symbol status is "1: During normal symbol variation".

[0151] In the processing during normal symbol variation, until the variation display time of the normal symbol corresponding to the variation pattern of the normal symbol determined during the normal symbol variation start monitoring and control processing elapses, that is, until the timer for managing the variation display of the normal symbol (normal symbol variation display timer) becomes 0 in the timer update process, the process of executing the variation display of the normal symbol is performed on the normal symbol display device P53.

[0152] More specifically, when the normal symbol variation display timer is not 0, each time this process is executed, the general symbol display switching counter with a maximum value of "5" is updated. At the timing when the general symbol display switching counter reaches "5", a process is performed to store information regarding the next light emission pattern in the storage area that stores data for specifying the light emission pattern of the LEDs constituting the normal symbol display device P53. Note that the general symbol display switching counter is reset to the initial value of "0" at the timing when it reaches the maximum value of "5". That is, the variation display of the normal symbol will have the lighting pattern of the normal symbol display device P53 switched at intervals of 5 interrupts (4 ms × 5 = 20 ms). Note that the switching interval can be set as appropriate. For example, if the maximum value of the general symbol display switching counter is set to 25, the display pattern of the normal symbol display device P53 will be switched at intervals of once every 25 interrupts (once every 100 ms).

[0153] When the variation display time of the normal symbol ends, that is, when the normal symbol variation display timer is "0", in this process, data for specifying the LED lighting pattern indicating the stop display mode is stored in the storage area that stores the LED lighting pattern of the normal symbol display device P53 so that the display pattern of the stop display symbol of the normal symbol determined by the general symbol lottery is stopped and displayed on the normal symbol display device P53 in the main control display device P50. Then, the symbol fixing time (the time for displaying the stop display symbol) of the normal symbol is stored in the normal symbol stop display timer, and the normal symbol status is updated to "2: During normal symbol stop display".

[0154] 《Processing during normal symbol stop display》 The processing during normal symbol stop display is a sub-module process called from the normal symbol control process when the normal symbol status is "2: During normal symbol stop display".

[0155] In the processing during normal symbol stop display, it is checked whether the value of the normal symbol stop display timer, which has the symbol fixing time set at the end of the normal symbol variation processing, is "0". At the timing when it becomes "0", a process is performed to make settings for moving on to the next game operation.

[0156] When the normal symbol stop display timer reaches "0" and the result of this normal symbol lottery is a "win", according to the winning symbol and the operating state of the base state (extended function of the normal electric accessory), the operating pattern of the normal electric accessory P770 is called, settings such as setting the operation pattern and clearing the winning counter related to the normal electric accessory P770 are made, and the normal symbol status is updated to "3: During operation of the normal electric accessory".

[0157] On the other hand, when the normal symbol stop display timer reaches "0" and the result of this normal symbol lottery is a "loss", a process of updating the normal symbol status to "0: Waiting for the normal symbol" is performed.

[0158] 《Processing during operation of the normal electric accessory》The processing during operation of the normal electric accessory is a sub-module processing called from the normal symbol control processing when the normal symbol status is "3: During operation of the normal electric accessory".

[0159] In the processing during operation of the normal electric accessory, based on the operation pattern of the normal electric accessory P770 set in the processing during normal symbol stop display, the opening operation (change to an easy ball - entry mode) and closing operation (change to a difficult ball - entry mode) of the normal electric accessory are controlled, and the establishment of the operation end condition of the normal electric accessory is monitored. The operation end of the normal electric accessory P770 is (a) when a specified number of normal electric accessory wins set as the end condition of the normal electric accessory occur, (b) when the operation of the preset operation pattern ends (when the opening operation period of the normal electric accessory ends).

[0160] When the operation end condition of the normal electric accessory is satisfied, the time for timing a fixed - time extension period determined in advance corresponding to the structure of the normal electric accessory P770 is set in the timer area that stores the effective extension period of the normal electric accessory. Then, the time value related to the operation end demo of the normal electric accessory is set in the normal electric accessory operation end demo timer, and the normal symbol status is set to "4: During the operation end demo of the normal electric accessory".

[0161] 《Processing of the operation end demo of the normal electric accessory》 The normal electric accessory operation end demo process is a sub-module process called from the normal symbol control process when the normal symbol status is "4: In the middle of the normal electric accessory end demo".

[0162] In the normal electric accessory operation end demo process, it waits until the normal electric accessory operation end demo timer set in the normal electric accessory operation process becomes "0", and when the normal electric accessory operation end demo timer becomes "0", it updates the normal symbol status to "0: Waiting for the normal symbol".

[0163] (Start port monitoring process) The start port monitoring process performs processing related to the occurrence of a hold (for the hold related to the first special symbol lottery, it is also called the first hold or the first special symbol hold, and for the hold related to the second special symbol lottery, it is also called the second hold or the second special symbol hold) related to the special symbol lottery when the rising data of the special figure 1 start port switch P712 and the special figure 2 start port switch P722 are generated from the data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 2004). (Step 2024)

[0164] More specifically, when the special figure 1 start port switch P712 and the special figure 2 start port switch P722 are detected, the number of holds related to the special symbol lottery is confirmed. If the number of holds is less than the upper limit, since a random number can be stored as a new hold, after incrementing (+1) the data in the storage area storing the number of holds to increase the hold number information by 1, the win / loss random number, the symbol random number, and the variation pattern random number are obtained from the random number generation circuit, or the current corresponding software random number is obtained and stored as a hold.

[0165] Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, as special symbols, there are two types of special symbols, the first special symbol (sometimes referred to as special figure 1) and the second special symbol (sometimes referred to as special figure 2). Therefore, for each start port provided on the game board P5, the number of holds of the corresponding special symbol and the data of the start port switch are called, and the process of adding the number of holds and obtaining a random number is performed for each start port.

[0166] In addition, when the start port to be processed is composed of a start port (electric chew) related to a normal electric accessory, after determining whether or not a start port winning related to the normal electric accessory P770 occurred within the effective period in the above-described effective period setting process, if it is within the effective period, the above-described process is performed.

[0167] When storing the win / loss random number, symbol random number, and variation pattern random number, the acquired random number information is used with a pre-announcement determination value table to generate information that can predict in advance the variation content when variations based on the various random numbers to be held are executed, and this is notified as an effect control command to the effect control board P41 (referred to as the "pre-determination command", "pre-determination information", and "prediction determination command"). The pre-determination command is generated for each of the win / loss random number, symbol random number, and variation pattern random number, and when it is transmitted to the effect control board P41, it is used in the lottery related to the execution of the "prediction effect" described later in the effect control board P41.

[0168] (Special Symbol Control Process) The special symbol control process (step 2026) executes any one of the processes of managing the start of special symbol variation (special symbol variation start monitoring control process), special symbol variation process, and special symbol stop symbol display process based on the state information for managing the special symbol called the special symbol status (also referred to as the "special figure status") and the state information for managing the operating state of the special electric accessory called the special electric accessory status (also referred to as the "special electric game status").

[0169] The special symbol status has the states of "0: Waiting for special symbol variation", "1: Special symbol variation in progress", "2: Losing symbol stop display in progress", "3: Big win symbol stop display in progress", and "4: Small win symbol stop display in progress", and the special electric accessory status has the states of "0: Waiting for win", "1: Special electric accessory operating", "2: Big winning port closed", "3: Big win end demo in progress", "4: Small win special electric operating", "5: Small win closed", and "6: Small win end demo in progress". Note that Depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, there may be no small wins, and in that case, there is no status data related to small wins. And the control based on these statuses will be described later.

[0170] In the special symbol control process, when there are multiple special symbols, the process is performed based on a predetermined order (priority). As the predetermined order, a process of preferentially controlling the second special symbol is performed. In the case of the specifications of the gaming machine where, in a situation where there are holds for both the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the variation of the second special symbol is started first (the second special symbol varies preferentially), it is called "second special symbol (special figure 2) priority digestion control". In the description regarding the embodiment of the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, the process related to this type will be exemplified and described.

[0171] In the special symbol control process, first, the control of the second special symbol is performed. When starting the control of the second special symbol, first, the special symbol status of the first special symbol and the information of the special electric accessory status are referred to. When the special electric accessory status is data indicating that a big win game or a small win game is in progress (when the special electric accessory status is other than "0: waiting for a win"), and when the special symbol status of the first special symbol during which the first special symbol is varying is other than "0: waiting for special symbol variation", the process is completed without performing the process.

[0172] When it is a situation where the control of the second special symbol is to be executed, a process of updating the timer value related to the control of the second special symbol is executed. The update of the timer is performed by a process of decrementing (-1) the data in the storage area storing the timer. When the result of the decrement becomes a negative value, "0" is set. And when the update of the timer is completed, based on the special symbol status corresponding to special symbol 2, the sub-module process described later is called and executed. Note that there is also a timer subtraction process during the interrupt process, but the timer data updated by the timer subtraction process does not include the timer data updated by the special symbol control process, and the special symbol control process manages the timer data for the control related to the special symbol.

[0173] "Special Symbol Variation Start Monitoring and Control Process" The special symbol variation start monitoring and control process is a sub-module process that transitions when the special symbol status is "0: Waiting for special symbol variation".

[0174] In the special symbol variation start monitoring and control process, it is confirmed whether there is a hold for the special symbol being processed. If there is no hold, the process ends. If there is a hold, the subsequent process is executed. The subsequent process is the special symbol lottery conducted when starting the variation. In the special symbol lottery, first, the data stored as the set value is read and inspected to determine whether it is appropriate set value information. If it is an appropriate set value, an appropriate lottery table is selected by referring to the data in the area storing each flag indicating the game state, etc., and the win / loss lottery, symbol lottery, and variation pattern lottery are executed. After the lottery results are stored in the memory area, the special symbol status is updated to "1: Special symbol is varying". Also, the content determined by the special symbol lottery is transmitted as an effect control command (win / loss command, symbol command, variation pattern command) to the effect control board P41 and is used as information for determining the content of the variation effect (lottery process) to be executed in accordance with the variation display of the special symbol. Details regarding the special symbol lottery will be described later.

[0175] "Special Symbol Variation Process" The special symbol variation process is a sub-module process that transitions when the special symbol status is "1: Special symbol is varying".

[0176] In the special symbol variation process, a timer that manages the variation display time of the special symbol is monitored until the variation time of the special symbol determined by the variation pattern lottery elapses. Also, until the remaining variation time becomes "0", every 25 interrupts, a special symbol display device (the second special symbol display device P52 (the first special symbol display device P51 when controlling the special figure 1)) is used to perform a switching process of the lighting display pattern to show the variation display of the special symbol by the special symbol display switching timer (maximum value "24") that is updated every interrupt.

[0177] When the remaining variation display time of the special symbol becomes "0", information is set to output an external signal indicating that the variation display of the special symbol has been executed once to an external device (such as a data counter or a hall computer) connected to the pachinko gaming machine P, a process of setting a symbol fixing time for fixing the stopped display symbol of the special symbol is performed, and lighting pattern data for causing the stopped display symbol indicating the stopped display symbol determined as a result of the win / loss lottery and symbol lottery to be displayed on the special symbol display device P52 (P51) is set. Then, according to the win / loss lottery result, the special symbol status is set to any one of "2: Losing symbol stopped display", "3: Big win symbol stopped display", and "4: Small win symbol stopped display".

[0178] 《Processing for Losing Special Symbol Stopped Display》 The processing for losing special symbol stopped display is a process that shifts when the special symbol status is "2: Losing symbol stopped display".

[0179] In the processing for losing special symbol stopped display, it is confirmed whether the value of the timer that manages the symbol fixing time set in the special symbol variation processing has become "0". If it has become "0", the special symbol status of the special symbol being processed is updated to "0: Waiting for special symbol variation", the remaining number of game times of the game state related to the special symbol lottery (probability variation function, electric chu support function, variation time shortening function) is updated, and confirmation regarding the establishment of the end condition is performed. When the game state transition condition is established, control related to the transition of the game state (such as flag off) is performed.

[0180] 《Processing for Big Win Special Symbol Stopped Display》 The processing for big win special symbol stopped display is a process that shifts when the special symbol status is "3: Big win symbol stopped display".

[0181] In the process during the stop display of the special symbol jackpot symbol, it is checked whether the value of the timer that manages the symbol fixation time set in the process during the special symbol variation has become "0". When it becomes "0", the special symbol status of the special symbol being processed is updated to "0: Waiting for special symbol variation", and the special electric accessory status is updated to "2: Big winning opening closed". Furthermore, in order to end the game state related to the special symbol lottery (probability variation function, electric chu support function, variation time shortening function), a process of clearing each remaining number information storage area and operation flag storage area is executed. Then, in order to execute a jackpot game according to the jackpot symbol, information in various storage areas that were used as data during the previous jackpot game is initialized from the jackpot symbol information, and control content data of the special electric accessory P755 during the jackpot game is set.

[0182] In the process during the stop display of the special symbol jackpot symbol, further, a process of transmitting an effect control command for executing an effect of the jackpot game (jackpot start demo effect) to the effect control board P41 is executed. Also, in accordance with these processes, setting of lighting pattern data for lighting the right hit display lamp P56 (an LED that lights up when in a game state where a right hit game of firing a game ball aiming at the right side of the game area is recommended), which is one of the components of the main control display device P50, is also performed.

[0183] 《Process during the stop display of the special symbol small win symbol》 The process during the stop display of the special symbol small win symbol is a process that shifts when the special symbol status is "4: During stop display of small win symbol".

[0184] During the special symbol winning symbol stop display process, similar to the special big winning symbol stop display process, upon the end of the symbol fixing time, data settings related to the operation of the special electric accessory P755 and setting processes related to the lighting of the right hitting display lamp P56 are performed. Also, in the pachinko gaming machine P of this premise technology, during the execution of a small winning game (stop display of small winning symbols), unlike when the big winning symbol stops, there is no process to end the game state (high probability state or high base state) related to the special symbol lottery. The special symbol deviation symbol stop display process controls the game state based on the determination result of whether the end condition is satisfied for each game state in the same way. Also, in accordance with these processes, the special electric accessory status is updated to "5: During small winning closure". Note that depending on the gaming machine specifications, as a modification example, it is also possible to design the specifications to have a process of forcibly ending the game state (high probability state or high base state) in the same way as when the big winning symbol stops when executing a small winning game.

[0185] When any one of the above sub-module processes is selectively implemented, the process of the first special symbol is performed following the process of the second special symbol. Regarding the process of the first special symbol, only the information referred to is different from that of the second special symbol (for example, regarding whether it is possible to start variation, it is determined by referring to the special symbol status of the second special symbol instead of the special symbol status of the first special symbol), and almost the same process is repeated, so the explanation is omitted.

[0186] 《Ball-in Order Completion Control, Parallel Control》 Also, in the explanation of the above-mentioned special symbol control process, it was explained based on the process related to "second special symbol priority completion control". However, when adopting gaming machine specifications different from those of the pachinko gaming machine assumed in this premise, it is also possible to progress the special symbol control process with different processes. A representative example of this will be briefly explained below.

[0187] "Digestion control in the order of ball entry" is a specification of a gaming machine in which the hold information corresponding to each of the first special symbol and the second special symbol is processed one by one in the order in which it is generated. During the variation of one symbol, the other variation display is not performed, and it is a specification that is often adopted when the generation of hold balls for both the hold ball corresponding to the first special symbol and the hold ball corresponding to the second special symbol is expected in a certain gaming state.

[0188] "Parallel control (parallel digestion)" is a type of gaming machine specification that, unlike the "second special symbol priority digestion control" and "digestion in the order of ball entry" described above, can simultaneously perform the variation displays of both the first special symbol and the second special symbol. Since two symbols can be digested simultaneously, it becomes possible to increase the number of special symbol lottery times per unit time. When the special electric accessory P755 operates with the stop display of one special symbol (when a big win or a small win is executed), specifications such as forcibly deviating the other symbol to stop the symbol or temporarily interrupting the subtraction of the remaining time of the variation display are appropriately adopted. As an example, when one special symbol becomes a big win, a specification of forcibly deviating and stopping the display of the other special symbol, or when one special symbol becomes a big win or a small win, a specification of temporarily interrupting the variation display of the other special symbol can be adopted.

[0189] (Special electric accessory control process) The special electric accessory control process is a process that executes sub-module processing related to the operation of the special electric accessory P755 based on the data content (value) of the special electric accessory status (sometimes referred to as the special electric gaming status) and manages the operation of the special electric accessory (step 2028). In other words, when executing a big win game or a small win game, it is a process of controlling each state in the big win game and small win game states and controlling the opening and closing of the big winning opening P751.

[0190] As described above, the special electric accessory status has states of "0: Waiting for a win", "1: Special electric accessory operating", "2: Big winning opening closed", "3: During big win end demo", "4: During small win special electric operation", "5: Small win closed", and "6: During small win end demo".

[0191] Among these special electric accessory statuses, when the status is "0: Waiting for a win", since the player has not yet obtained the right to execute a big win game or a small win game through the game, the special electric accessory control process ends without performing any processing.

[0192] And when the special electric accessory status is other than "0: Waiting for a win", one of the respective processes described later will be executed according to the status.

[0193] 《Processing during operation of special electric accessory》 The processing during operation of the special electric accessory is the processing executed when the special electric accessory status is "1: During operation of special electric accessory" or "4: During operation of small win special electric". This processing is the processing in a state where a so-called round game (unit game) is being executed in a special game (a state where the big winning opening P751 can be controlled to open).

[0194] In the processing during operation of the special electric accessory, first, a process is performed to determine whether the end condition of the round game (unit game) is satisfied. As the end condition of the round game, it is determined that the game ends when either (a) the number of winning times equal to the specified number (also called "count") corresponding to the activated special electric accessory is achieved, or (b) the release time (release pattern) set as the operation pattern of the executed special electric accessory has ended. If these conditions are not met, the special electric accessory control process in the current interrupt process ends without performing subsequent processing. Note that among the operation patterns (release patterns) of the special electric accessory P755, there are patterns that open and close the big winning opening P751 multiple times. When these patterns are executed, during one round game, the timer used for the determination in (b) becomes "0" multiple times, and after confirming whether there is the next operation data during one round game, if it is determined that the condition (c) "no next operation pattern data in the current unit game" is met, it is determined that (b) is satisfied.

[0195] On the other hand, when either of the above (a) or (i) of the end conditions of the round game is satisfied, as subsequent processing, the big winning opening closing time is stored in the timer for closing time management of the special electric accessory, and the special electric accessory status is incremented to "2: Big winning opening is closed". Then, command data for notifying the effect control board P41 that the round game has ended is set as an effect control command, and the process ends.

[0196] 《Processing during the closing of the big winning opening》 The processing during the closing of the big winning opening is a process that is executed when the special electric accessory status is "2: Big winning opening is closed" or "5: Small win is closed". This process is controlled during the "between rounds" between so-called round games in special games. In addition, it is also a process in a state controlled during the "big win start demo (period)" or "small win start demo (period)", which is the state before the start of the first round at the start of a big win game or a small win game, or during the period of waiting until the after-win end demo process described later is executed after the round game of the final round has ended.

[0197] In the processing during the closing of the big winning opening, first, it is determined whether the big winning opening closing time set in the special electric accessory operation process has elapsed. If the closing time management timer is not "0", that is, if the closing time has not elapsed, the special electric accessory control process in this interrupt is ended.

[0198] When the closing time of the big winning opening has elapsed, it is then determined whether the operation (round game) of the special electric accessory P755, which was the first to finish operating, was the final round game in this winning game (big win game, small win game), and different processes are executed at the end of the final round game and at the end of a round game other than the final round (or during the winning start demo). Note that the determination of whether it was the final round game is based on whether the cumulative data of the number of operations of the special electric accessory P755 that was activated during this winning game exceeds the maximum number of operation data of the special electric accessory P755 in this winning game. At the time of the winning start demo, the cumulative data of the number of operations of the special electric accessory P755 is "0".

[0199] In the process during the closing of the big winning opening, when it is determined that it is the end of the final round game, the execution pattern (mainly the winning end demo time data) of the winning end demo is read and set according to the type of win (the type of special symbol that starts a big win or a small win). Then, the special electric accessory status is incremented to be "3: During the big win end demo" or "6: During the small win end demo", and an effect command for executing the winning end demo effect is set for the effect control board P41. Furthermore, the time value data defined as the effective extension period is stored in the timer that manages the effective extension period of the big winning opening P751 to set the effective extension period of the big winning opening P751, and then the process ends.

[0200] On the other hand, in the process during the closing of the big winning opening, when it is determined that it is the end other than the final round game (or during the winning start demo), as an effect control command for the effect control board P41, information that can identify which round the next round game is (N-round start demo command ※ N is an integer) and information (right hitting command) for instructing the recommended firing position during the winning game (in the case of a pachinko machine as a premise, the right side area P501R (right hitting area) of the game board) are transmitted.

[0201] Then, decrement the special electric accessory status and update it to "1: Special electric accessory in operation" or "4: Small win special electric in operation", and initialize the data in the data area for counting the number of winning game balls in the big winning opening P751 during the round game. Then, set the time value related to the first opening of the big winning opening P751 (or the closing immediately after the start of the round game) during the round game to the operation pattern data of the big winning opening P751 (special electric accessory P755) in the round game, and increment the data in the storage area related to the cumulative operation times of the special electric accessory P755.

[0202] (Prize ball control process) The prize ball control process is a process for awarding game balls to the player as prize balls for the winning of game balls at the winning openings arranged on the game board P5. As the processing content, it is configured to execute the following three sub-module processes. (Step 2030)

[0203] 《Payout data reception monitoring process》 The payout data reception monitoring process is a process for checking the presence or absence of a control command related to the execution of prize ball payout transmitted from the payout control board P43 to the main control board P40 and receiving (storing) the transmitted command. The main control board P0 stores the information transmitted from the payout control board P43 in two registers (storage areas). And one register is called the status register, and information for determining whether there is information transmitted from the payout control board P43 and whether the transmitted information is transmitted normally is stored. And the other register is called the data register, and information on the control content related to the payout control transmitted from the payout control board P43 is stored, and if the status register is normal, the data in the data register is stored in the storage area as payout control information.

[0204] 《Payout command request process》 In the payout command request process, the payout counter data for each winning port that stores the winning count data of various winning ports memorized in the winning monitoring process (step 2018) is confirmed, and the presence or absence of un-paid-out winnings is confirmed. This confirmation process is performed in a predetermined order for each winning port. When it is determined that the data of the payout counter is not "0" for a certain winning port, a control command for causing the payout control board P43 to execute the payout of game balls is transmitted according to the number of prize balls of the corresponding winning port. By this process, even when the payout counter data for a plurality of winning ports is not "0", the payout control commands transmitted to the payout control board P43 in one interruption are limited to one.

[0205] 《Payout Command Control Process》 In the payout command control process, a check is made as to whether the payout control board P43 has normally received information regarding the payout number. In this process, it is determined whether the command is normally received or a communication error is determined due to some abnormality. Until the reception status of the command is determined (it is determined whether the reception is normally completed or it is an error) in the payout command control process, the transmission of the next payout control command in the payout command request process is temporarily interrupted by flag data whose on / off settings are respectively made in the payout command request process and the payout command control process.

[0206] (Abnormality Detection Process) The abnormality detection process is a process of confirming the presence or absence of an abnormality from the information of sensors provided for fraud detection in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise. (Step 2032)

[0207] More specifically, regarding the inputs of sensors such as the vibration sensor P72, the magnetic sensor P73, the radio wave detection sensor P74, and the frame opening sensor P131, it is a process of determining whether or not it is a situation where an abnormality has occurred based on the input information generated in the input port confirmation process (step 2004). In addition to various sensors, removal of a harness for electrical connection and short circuits on the wiring are also included in the detection targets.

[0208] When there is abnormal data for any of the judgment information, after storing it with the corresponding error flag turned on, a command for notifying error information is set as an effect control command for the effect control board P41.

[0209] (Sensor Detection Judgment Process) The sensor detection judgment process is a process of judging the period during which the detection of sensors and switches has been continuously performed from the detection data (level data) of the sensors and switches generated in the input port confirmation process (step 2004), and establishing a flag for performing the process. (Step 2034)

[0210] In the sensor detection judgment process, when the level data of the detection data information of the target sensor or switch is on, the data for counting the continuous on-input period of the corresponding switch is incremented and updated, and it is determined whether the execution start conditions for various processes are satisfied. If the conditions are met, the process corresponding to the switch to be monitored is executed. When the switch to be monitored becomes off data, the data for counting the continuous input period is initialized (updated to "0").

[0211] For example, when it is detected that the winning port detection switch provided at the winning port is continuously in the on state, it is determined that a ball jam has occurred, and control is performed to an error state, and a command for causing the effect control board P41 to perform error notification as an effect control command is set, and signal data for notifying the occurrence of an error to an external device (such as a hall computer) is generated and an output request is made.

[0212] Note that the switches to be detected in this process also include the touch sensor switch provided on the handle P204 and the switch for detecting fraud, etc., and sensors that require input of on data for a certain period to distinguish whether it is due to an artificial operation or electrical noise are also targeted.

[0213] (Game State Display Process) The game state display process is a process of generating lighting data for displaying information related to the progress of the game on the main control display device P50. Although it is called a display process, the output of the display content to the main control display device P50 is not performed in this process but in the LED output process described later. (Step 2036)

[0214] In the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, as an example, error display lights (status display light P55) indicating an error state, special symbol hold display lights (special figure 1 hold display light P61, special figure 2 hold display light P62) for displaying the number of holds related to the special symbol lottery, and normal symbol hold display lights P63 for displaying the number of holds related to the normal symbol lottery, etc., lighting data (lighting patterns) are generated and stored as data output in the LED output process.

[0215] In the game state display process, regarding the LED display lights that are lighting-controlled, when blinking display is required, the update of the display switching counter related to the corresponding LED and the switching process of the lighting pattern by comparing the counter value with the threshold value are performed. For example, in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, although the number of holds in the special symbol lottery can be held up to a maximum of 4, since the special symbol hold display light is configured with 2 LED display lights (each of the special figure 1 hold display light P61 and the special figure 2 hold display light P62 has 2 LEDs), when there are 3 or more holds, at least 1 LED is not in a continuous lighting display but in a blinking display specification.

[0216] (Output port output process) The output port output process is a process of setting to transmit signals related to the game operation to electric accessories that are operation devices on the game board P5 connected to the main control board P40, the payout control board P43, etc. (Step 2038)

[0217] More specifically, during the normal symbol control process or the special electric accessory control process, when the operation pattern of the normal electric accessory or the special electric accessory is set, signal data for releasing (or closing) each electric accessory is output to the normal electric accessory driving means P71 and the special electric accessory driving means P72 (in the pachinko game machine as a premise, the solenoid) by the process during the output port output process.

[0218] Also, for the payout control board P43, a control signal (launch permission signal) for permitting or prohibiting the launch of the game balls based on the player's handle operation is generated and output in the output port output process. The output content of the launch permission signal is set according to the communication state with the payout control board P43 and the occurrence status of an error that requires the game to stop.

[0219] (Effect control command transmission process) The effect control command transmission process is a process of outputting an effect control command to the effect control board P41. In the pachinko game machine P as a premise, the effect control command is transmitted to the effect control board P41 only in the effect control command transmission process (step 2040). Regarding the setting of the effect control command to be transmitted, it is set (stored) in a predetermined storage area as an untransmitted effect control command during other processes.

[0220] In the pachinko game machine P as a premise, as the area for storing untransmitted effect control commands, a storage area that circularly references a storage destination called a ring buffer is used. In the storage area called a ring buffer, the "write pointer" and the "read pointer" that are updated by the respective processes of writing (storing) and reading (transmitting) the effect control command are used to calculate the addresses of the storage areas for writing and reading the command in the next process, and the writing and reading of the effect control command are executed according to the specifications.

[0221] In addition, in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the configuration of the effect control command is composed of two types of data: MODE data indicating the type of command and EVENT data indicating the content of the command.

[0222] Returning to the description of the specific processing content of the effect control command transmission process, in the effect control command transmission process, first, it is checked whether the information of the aforementioned write pointer and read pointer matches. If they match, it is determined that there is no effect control command to be transmitted, and the process ends. On the other hand, if the data of the write pointer and the read pointer do not match, it is determined that there is an effect control command to be transmitted, and the process proceeds to the next process.

[0223] When it is determined that there is an effect control command to be transmitted, the MODE data and EVENT data are called from the address of the storage area of the main control board P40 calculated from the data of the read pointer, and temporarily stored in the registers in the CPU of the main control board P40 respectively. After clearing the effect control command in the read destination ring buffer, the value of the read pointer is updated to the value to be used in the next process.

[0224] As the effect control command, the MODE data and EVENT data stored in the registers of the main control board P40 are sequentially transmitted to the effect control board P41. First, the MODE data is set in the effect command output port, which is an output port for transmitting the effect control command to the effect control board P41, and a strobe signal for causing the effect control board P41 to perform a read operation is output. The main control board P40 will subsequently output the EVENT data. However, in order to ensure a sufficient period until the effect control board P41 receives the MODE data, a 26 μs waiting time is inserted. After that, similar to when transmitting the MODE data, the EVENT data is set to the output port and the strobe signal is output. When the effect control board P41 confirms the strobe signal, it generates an effect control command reception interrupt and receives the effect control command transmitted from the main control board P40.

[0225] (External Information Output Process) The external information output process is a process of outputting, as signals, information related to the game state and information related to security such as error occurrence from the external information output terminal 77 to external devices (data counters, hall computers, etc.) connected to the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise (step 2042). The signal output from the external information output terminal 77 is output based on the data set in the output port of the main control board P40, and transmits a pulse signal that is an on-potential for a certain period when the opportunity for signal output occurs, or continues to output the on-potential until the condition for ending the signal output is satisfied, etc.

[0226] In the external information output process, first, a signal related to the game state is generated. As a signal related to the game state, in order to be able to identify the type of a specific game state, in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, information corresponding to the operating state (probability state) of the probability variation function and the operating state (base state) of the electric chu support function, and information indicating that it is during a special game (big win or small win) are referred to, and when it is controlled by each game state, the external output data is updated so that the corresponding data is transmitted. Note that it is not limited to what is exemplified here, and depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, there may be cases where an output signal is generated based on information indicating the presence or absence of a variation time shortening function or information indicating that it is a case of a specific type of big win.

[0227] In addition, as output signals output in the external information output process, not only signals related to the game state but also information based on the occurrence of predetermined game results is output. For example, signals (also referred to as "symbol fixation signals") that are transmitted each time the variable display of special symbols is executed and stopped, or each time the detection of the entry of game balls into various winning openings such as the start opening switch (Special Figure 1 start opening switch P712, Special Figure 2 start opening switch 722) and the big winning opening switch P752 is made, or each time the payout of bonus balls based on the entry of balls into various winning openings reaches a predetermined number (for example, 10), data is set in the external output data and signals transmitted to external devices. These signals are mainly composed of pulse signals, and a signal of 1 is transmitted as a pulse signal with a continuous on potential of 128 ms. However, when multiple game results occur continuously, after the output of one pulse signal ends, an off potential output for a certain period is sandwiched, and then the pulse signal is output again.

[0228] Also, in the external signal output process, when it is determined that it is necessary to output a security signal by calculating and comparing the data in the storage area storing the error flag as the result confirmed in the above-described abnormality detection process (step 2032) and the comparison data for confirming the occurrence of an error that requires security notification, the output data set to the output port is updated so that the bit corresponding to the security signal in the external output data is turned on.

[0229] (LED Output Process) The LED output process is a process for outputting data indicating a lighting pattern to a plurality of LEDs constituting the main control display device P50 to cause the LEDs to emit light and display the progress status and game state of the game. (Step 2044)

[0230] The LEDs that make up the main control display device P50 include a total of 32 LED display parts: the first special symbol display device P51 (8 LEDs), the second special symbol display device P52 (8 LEDs), the first special symbol hold indicator lamp P61 (2 LEDs), the second special symbol hold indicator lamp P62 (2 LEDs), the normal symbol display device P53 (2 LEDs), the normal symbol hold indicator lamp P63 (2 LEDs), the round display lamp P54, the status display lamp P55, and the right strike display lamp (a total of 8 LEDs).

[0231] Note that the status display lamp P55 represents collectively the display lamps related to a plurality of game states. Specifically, it refers to display lamps such as the special figure probability variation display lamp indicating the presence or absence of the operation of the probability variation function, the normal figure probability variation display lamp indicating the presence or absence of the operation of the normal figure probability variation function (the presence or absence of the operation of the electric chaser support function), and the error display lamp indicating an error state.

[0232] In the LED output process, the lighting data of the display part in the main control display device is set in the output port byte by byte for each interrupt process to light the main control display device P50. Based on the value of a digit counter that is updated for each interrupt process, the LEDs of the main control display device P50 to be lit in this interrupt are selected, the lighting pattern data corresponding to the game situation is selected, and it is set as display data to control the lighting of each LED.

[0233] That is, in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, the main control display device P50 is controlled by a dynamic lighting method that outputs lighting data in order to 32 LEDs using at least 4 interrupt processes.

[0234] Also, in the LED output process, in addition to the LED display that should be visible to the player as the main control display device P50 described above, lighting control of the LED display that is only lit when the game stop flag is in the set change state, the setting confirmation state, or the non-returnable error state is also performed.

[0235] In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, when a flag indicating some game stop state is stored in the game stop flag, the setting of the lighting pattern data for the main control display device P50 is omitted. During setting change, setting confirmation, and non-recoverable error, the LEDs constituting the main control display device are all turned off. As a modification, when setting the game stop flag, light emission display may be performed using fixed lighting patterns set for each state. For example, during the period of setting change, the LEDs constituting the main control display device P50 may be configured to be all turned on.

[0236] (Out-of-area control processing) The out-of-area control processing is composed of a test signal output processing (processing for outputting signals used in the test of the pachinko gaming machine) for outputting signals used in the test of the pachinko gaming machine and a processing for performing control related to the display of the performance display device (step 2046). The meaning of "out-of-area" indicates that it is a processing executed by a program in a storage area not included in the calculation of the capacity of the program storage area defined by the rules of the pachinko gaming machine.

[0237] In the test signal output processing, a process of setting information related to game results and game states to be output to an external test device from the test terminal P78 of the pachinko gaming machine P to the output port is performed. In the performance display processing, a process of confirming the game state is performed, the count of out balls and the ratio (base) between the number of out balls and the number of bonus balls are calculated, updated as display data, and a display output is performed to the performance display device P59.

[0238] [Special symbol lottery] Subsequently, regarding the special symbol lottery executed by the CPU of the main control board P40, its details will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14. The "special symbol lottery" mainly consists of a "win / loss lottery", a "winning symbol lottery", and a "variation pattern lottery".

[0239] (Win / loss lottery) The "win / loss lottery" is a lottery that determines whether or not to activate the special electric accessory P755 based on the result of a special symbol lottery to be executed. To explain it more simply, it is a lottery that determines whether the result of the special symbol lottery is a "big win", "small win", or "loss". Note that depending on the specifications of the pachinko machine P, there are some that do not have a "small win" as the lottery result of the win / loss lottery. Also, when configured to have a first special symbol and a second special symbol, it may be configured such that one of the win / loss lotteries for a special symbol has a "small win" as the lottery result, while the other win / loss lottery does not have a "small win" as the lottery result.

[0240] The win / loss lottery is conducted using a random number value called a "win / loss random number" among the random numbers obtained and stored when a game ball enters a start port (such as the first start winning port P711 or the second start winning port P721). In the assumed pachinko machine P, the range of possible random number values (random number value range) of the win / loss random number is 65,536 values from "0" to "65,535", which is composed of so-called 2-byte random numbers. When the win / loss lottery is conducted, a process of determining the result of the win / loss lottery is performed by comparing this random number value with a lottery table (referred to as the "win / loss lottery table") used for the win / loss lottery according to the game state and set values.

[0241] Figure 10 exemplifies several lottery tables used for the win / loss lottery. (A) in Figure 10 shows the win / loss lottery table in the set value "1" and the low probability state, and (B) in Figure 10 shows the win / loss lottery table in the set value "1" and the high probability state. (C) and (D) in Figure 10 show the win / loss lottery tables in the low probability state and the high probability state, respectively, when the set value is "6".

[0242] For example, in the situation where the win / loss lottery is executed using the win / loss lottery table in Figure 10(A), assume that the win / loss random number in this special symbol lottery is the random number corresponding to the first special symbol (special figure 1) and the random number value is "1500", and the flow of the win / loss lottery will be explained.

[0243] First, as the first win / loss lottery result, it is determined whether the random number value belongs to the jackpot random number value range (from "0" to "327"). Specifically, a process of subtracting the random number value range "328" of the jackpot to be determined from the random number value "1500" of the current win / loss random number is performed. At this time, the subtraction result is "1172", and since it does not become a negative value, it is determined that the current win / loss random number does not belong to the jackpot random number value range.

[0244] As the subsequent process, a comparison is made between the random number value "1172" after the operation of the previous jackpot determination and the losing random number value range (from "328" to "65370") as the determination area of the subsequent win / loss lottery result in the win / loss lottery table. More specifically, the losing random number value range "65043" to be determined is subtracted from the primary data "1172" of the win / loss random number. At this time, since the operation result becomes a negative value, information corresponding to the result of "losing" is stored as the win / loss lottery result.

[0245] If the special symbol lottery is performed in the high-probability state for the current win / loss random number "1500", it will be lottery-selected in the win / loss lottery table shown in FIG. 10(B), and it is determined whether it belongs to the first jackpot random number value range (from "0" to "1639"). At this time, since the result of the comparison operation (subtraction) between the win / loss random number and the random number value range becomes a negative value, the win / loss lottery result is determined to be "jackpot".

[0246] In the pachinko gaming machine P assumed, in this way, a method of determining the lottery result is adopted by sequentially comparing the data obtained as the random number value with the random number value range corresponding to the lottery result of the lottery table, and the same lottery method is also adopted for the winning symbol lottery and the variation pattern lottery described later. Note that the lottery method is not limited to the above example, and a method of directly determining whether the obtained random number value matches the random number value that becomes a jackpot may be adopted, or different lottery methods may be adopted for each lottery content.

[0247] (Winning Symbol Lottery) The "winning symbol lottery" is a process that determines the stop display symbol of the special symbol, which is the special symbol lottery result for the win / loss lottery described above, as the lottery result necessary for the control content related to the subsequent operation of the special electric accessory P755 and the switching of the lottery table (see FIGS. 12 to 14) of the variable pattern lottery described below.

[0248] FIG. 11 shows the big win symbol lottery table (see FIG. 11(A)) used in the winning symbol lottery when the win / loss lottery result is "big win", the small win symbol lottery table (see FIG. 11(B)) used in the winning symbol lottery when the win / loss lottery result is "small win", and the losing symbol lottery table (see FIG. 11(C)) used in the winning symbol lottery when the win / loss lottery result is "loss".

[0249] The "symbol random number" used in the winning symbol lottery is configured with a random number value range of "1000" (from "0" to "999"). When expressed in 2-byte data, the upper byte is expressed from "0" to "3", and the lower byte is expressed from "0" to "255".

[0250] Taking the winning symbol lottery as a specific example, for instance, when the win / loss lottery result is a big win, in the case of the winning symbol lottery for the first special symbol when the symbol random number is "400" (the upper byte is "1" and the lower byte is "144"), the lottery table with the upper byte "1" shown in FIG. 11(A) is used, and "5R (5 rounds) sure change 2" corresponding to the lower byte from "128" to "191" is obtained as the lottery result. When it comes to the variable display of the special symbol, the "5R sure change 2" symbol is stopped and displayed on the first special symbol display device P51 (in the case of the second special symbol lottery, it is the second special symbol display device P52) as the stop display symbol.

[0251] When the "5R Certain Variable 2" symbol stops and is displayed on the first special symbol display device P51, a jackpot game corresponding to the "5R Certain Variable 2" symbol will be executed. At this time, when "5R Certain Variable 2" is displayed as the stop display symbol on the first special symbol display device and when "5R Certain Variable 1" is displayed as the stop display symbol, the content of each round of the 5-round jackpot game (such as the opening pattern and opening time of the big winning opening P751) may be made different based on the stop display symbol, and it is also possible to control so as to make the control content in the specific game state that transitions after the jackpot game different. The allocation of control in these jackpot games and specific game states is appropriately determined according to the specifications (specs) for each pachinko machine P in order to realize the game performance, and a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0252] Note that in the assumed pachinko machine P, it is described that symbols grouped by type of jackpot are displayed by the lottery shown in Fig. 11(A). For example, in the previous example, after determining the type of jackpot as the lottery result "5R Certain Variable 2", the stop display symbol for executing the corresponding type of jackpot is determined by another lottery from a plurality of patterns. The winning symbol lottery may be executed in two stages: determination of the type of jackpot and determination of the stop display symbol.

[0253] Also, in the assumed pachinko machine P, as shown in Fig. 11(A), in the special symbol lottery for each of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, when determining the jackpot symbol in the winning symbol lottery, the types of possible winning symbols are configured to be different. More specifically, in the jackpot of the second special symbol in the assumed pachinko machine P, the possibility of "10R Certain Variable 5" to "10R Certain Variable 8" being determined has increased, and it can be said that it is easier to win a jackpot with a larger number of rounds than the winning symbol lottery of the first special symbol, and it is easier to win a jackpot that transitions to a high probability / high base state as a specific game state.

[0254] Fig. 11(B) illustrates a small win symbol lottery table. The small win symbol lottery table is a table referred to in the winning symbol lottery when the result of the winning / losing lottery of the special symbol lottery is "small win", and the lottery method is the same as that of the big win symbol lottery table described above.

[0255] In the small win symbol lottery table shown in Fig. 11(B), most of them win the "small win 1" symbol, and in some cases where the result of the winning / losing lottery of the second special symbol is "small win", "small win 2" can be determined. Note that there may be one type of small win symbol, or it may be configured to be able to determine three or more types of symbols.

[0256] As an example of the purpose of providing a plurality of small win symbols like the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, simply changing the opening mode of the big winning opening P751 during the small win game can vary the number of game balls that can be obtained. For example, in a pachinko gaming machine P that adopts the small win V as the gaming machine specification (specification), in order to separate the small win game where it is easy to win in the V winning area and the small win game where it is difficult to win in the V winning area, the small win symbols are differentiated, or in order to separate the types of specific games that transition after the execution of the big win game after winning in the V, the small win symbols are made different, etc. These are the purposes for which such aspects are implemented.

[0257] Fig. 11(C) illustrates a losing symbol lottery table. The losing symbol lottery table is a table referred to in the winning symbol lottery when the result of the winning / losing lottery of the special symbol lottery is "losing", and the lottery method is the same as that of the big win symbol lottery table for the first special symbol described above, and is a different method for the second special symbol.

[0258] More specifically, Fig. 11(C) shows only the losing symbol lottery table for the first special symbol. In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, the lottery process is performed only when it is the first special symbol as the losing symbol lottery table, and either "losing 1" or "losing 2" is determined as the stop display symbol.

[0259] The "miss 2" symbol is a losing symbol that wins with a probability of approximately 6.4% when the first special symbol misses. When "miss 2" wins, in the variable pattern lottery, it is configured to easily determine the variable pattern (variable time) by referring to a special lottery table (not shown) that is likely to reach a reach. Therefore, "miss 2" may also be referred to as a "reach losing symbol" or the like.

[0260] Also, in the assumed pachinko machine P, there is no losing symbol lottery table for the second special symbol, and one losing symbol is determined regardless of the symbol random number. The comparison process between the symbol random number and the table itself is omitted, and it is configured to store one losing symbol. Note that it may be configured to win the losing symbol using a lottery table that always wins one symbol.

[0261] (Variable pattern lottery) The "variable pattern lottery" is a process of determining the variable display time until the stop display symbol, which is the lottery result of the special symbol, is stopped and displayed by lottery. In the assumed pachinko machine P, in the special symbol lottery, the variable display time of the special symbol is determined using a variable pattern table described later as the production time required to perform production notification regarding whether it is a big win or not in the production display device P80 and what kind of big win it is in the case of a big win.

[0262] Figure 12 shows the "low base mid-variable pattern lottery table" in the main normal game state (low probability / low base mid), the low base state (non-electric chew support state), that is, the state where it is recommended to launch the game ball into the left area P501L of the game board in the assumed pachinko machine P.

[0263] As shown in FIG. 12, "ID" represents information stored as a result of variable pattern extraction, and "variable pattern" shows a representative example of the mode of variable effects displayed on the effect display device P80 when the corresponding ID is selected. "Variable time" is the variable display time value of the special symbol in the result of the target variable pattern extraction (variable pattern ID), representing the time from when the special symbol starts to vary until it stops being displayed.

[0264] In FIG. 12, "Retention 1 Variation" to "Retention 4 Variation" indicate the number of retained balls in a situation where the execution conditions of the special symbol extraction are met. When the win / loss extraction result is "loss" and the number of retained balls of the target special symbol (here, the first special symbol) is N, the variable pattern extraction is executed using the variable pattern table of "Retention N Variation". That is, the variable pattern extraction of the first special symbol in the low base state is configured to use different variable pattern tables depending on the number of retained balls. In addition, when a game ball enters the start winning opening in a state without any retention, it is temporarily stored as a retention in terms of processing, so the variable pattern extraction is executed using the variable pattern table of "Retention 1 Variation".

[0265] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, the variable pattern extraction corresponding to the second special symbol is independent of the number of retained balls and is configured to use a common extraction table regardless of the number of retained balls. Although not shown, when the result of the symbol extraction "Loss 2 (Reach Loss Symbol)" is determined, even for the variable pattern extraction of the first special symbol, it is configured to perform the variable pattern extraction using a single variable pattern table (variable pattern table for Loss 2) that is independent of the number of retained balls.

[0266] "10R Sure Win", "5R Sure Win", "10R Normal", and "5R Normal" in Fig. 12 indicate the variation pattern table used for the variation pattern lottery in the low base state during a big win. It represents that when the win / loss lottery result is "big win", the variation pattern table is appropriately selected according to the symbol lottery result, and the lottery is conducted. In Fig. 12, since the second special symbol is not the main body of the game in the low base state, it is expressed that the big win variation pattern table is determined in a form independent of the big win symbol. However, for the big win of the second special symbol, there may be multiple patterns according to the type of big win.

[0267] Here, using Fig. 12, a specific example of the variation pattern lottery in the low base state will be described. As a specific example, for the lottery of the first special symbol, a situation where the variation pattern random number is "30000", the number of held balls at the start of the variation is 3 (the number of held balls becomes 2 after the start of the variation), and the win / loss lottery result and the winning symbol lottery are both "loss 1" will be explained.

[0268] First, since the number of held balls at the start of the variation is "3", the variation pattern table of "3 held ball variation" is used. The lottery process is the same as the lottery process in the win / loss lottery described above. The variation pattern random number is compared (subtracted) with the random number value range corresponding to the variation pattern ID of each lottery result to determine whether the random number belongs to the same range. By performing this process, at the timing of normal variation B with ID "2", as a result of repeatedly comparing the variation pattern random number with the random number value range, a negative value is obtained, and the same ID is determined as the variation pattern lottery. After a 7 - second variation display is performed as the variation display of the special symbol, a losing symbol 1 is displayed on the first special symbol display device P51.

[0269] Next, the variable pattern table in the high base state will be described with reference to FIG. 13. The configuration of the variable pattern table in the high base state is a corresponding configuration to the variable pattern table in the low base state shown in FIG. 12, and is configured to have a variable pattern table for the losing time depending on the number of remaining draws for the second special symbol and a table for each jackpot symbol at the time of jackpot. Although many variable patterns can be commonly determined in FIGS. 12 and 13, this is also for the purpose of simplifying the explanation, and it is also possible to configure such that the overlap of the variable patterns determined in the low base state and the high base state is very small or there is no overlap at all.

[0270] Further, as a feature of the variable pattern table in the high base state, as the lottery results of "3-hold variation" and "4-hold variation" of the second special symbol at the time of loss, a 2-second variation (variable pattern ID "12"), which is the shortest variable time of the pachinko machine P as a premise, can be determined.

[0271] Furthermore, as a characteristic point of the variation pattern in the high base state, regarding the lottery of the first special symbol, the 10-second variation of the variation pattern ID "4" is always configured to be determined. The reason for configuring the first special symbol with a 10-second variation is that, in the jackpot symbol lottery table shown in FIG. 11, the player's profit when hitting the jackpot is large (the expected value of obtained balls is high due to a large number of execution rounds, and there are many jackpot symbols that shift to the probability variation state as a specific game state). The purpose is to enable the player to obtain a more advantageous jackpot by preferentially performing a large number of variation displays corresponding to the second special symbol. Also, even when there is almost no difference in the degree of advantage between the jackpot games of the first special symbol and the second special symbol, based on the adoption of the second special symbol priority digestion control, the first special symbol is prevented from being variably displayed, and until the specific game state (high base state), which is an advantageous state, ends, it is easy to hold the hold established in the normal game state (low base state), and there is also a purpose of avoiding the need for a large amount of game balls to generate a hold of the first special symbol in the low base state compared to the amount of game balls used to generate a hold of the second special symbol in the high base state.

[0272] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a special table in a limited period, representing a special variation pattern table referred to in a specific period. FIG. 14 includes and describes an example of a special variation pattern table of three periods as a special variation pattern table provided in the pachinko game machine P as a premise.

[0273] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, a "retained consecutive big win table" (targeting IDs "51" and "71") that refers to the period from the first to the fourth fluctuations after a big win (a period called the so-called "retained consecutive" (retained consecutive big wins within the retained bets), where there are four retained bets that result in a big win during a big win), a "high-frequency reach table" (targeting IDs "52", "53", "54", and "72") that is referred to in the nth to mth fluctuations after a big win and where a reach fluctuation of 55 seconds is likely to be selected, and a "result fluctuation table" (targeting IDs "55" and "73") that is referred to in the last fluctuation display in a high base state and where mainly a "result effect" described later is to be executed, are shown to be provided in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise.

[0274] In this way, a special variation pattern table that is referred to during a limited period is called a "special variation pattern table" or a "limited frequency (pattern table)".

[0275] In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, the reference period of the limited frequency pattern table is configured to be referable during a defined period after a big win game (operation of a special electric accessory, in other words, operation of an accessory continuous operation device). Regarding these reference periods, it is also possible to vary the presence or absence of reference depending on the type of big win (big win symbol), and it is also possible to configure the reference period to be different during a specific period after the operation of a special electric accessory based on a small win game. Which special variation pattern table to refer to in any situation can be appropriately set for each pachinko gaming machine, and is not limited to the examples shown, and if necessary, the details will be described separately.

[0276] Next, an explanation will be given regarding the control of an effect control board P41 that controls the effect operation in the assumed pachinko gaming machine P. Note that the operation control of the effect control board P41 has few restrictions in the type test of the gaming machine and has a high degree of design freedom compared to the control of the main control board P40. Therefore, it is not limited to only the processes described in the following explanation, and the timing at which the processes are performed can also be appropriately changed.

[0277] [Power-on Processing to Main Loop Processing of the Performance Control Board] For the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, when the power of the gaming machine is turned on, the CPU of the performance control board P41 executes power-on processing (step 4000). Here, the details of the power-on processing of the performance control board P41 will be described with reference to FIG. 15.

[0278] When the power-on processing (step 4000) is started in the performance control board P41 of the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, initial setting processing related to the operation of the CPU, which is an arithmetic unit provided on the performance control board P41, is performed (step 4002). The initial setting processing appropriately performs settings necessary for the subsequent operation of the CPU. Although the details are omitted, regarding the performance executed in the state where the previous power-off occurred, there is a time difference between the completion of the power-on processing of the main control board P40 (FIG. 7) and the power-on processing of the performance control board (FIG. 15). Therefore, if the performance returns to the performance before the power-off after the power recovery, there may be a deviation from the operation of the main control board P40. Thus, in the initial processing at the power-off recovery of the performance control board P41, it is often the case that performance information and the like are initialized so that the performance executed before the power-off is not executed (referred to as "performance control board reset" and "sub reset").

[0279] (Main Loop of the Performance Control Board) In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, after the initial setting processing, the process proceeds to the main loop processing. In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, since the time of one cycle (frame) for drawing the performance image on the image control board P42 connected to the performance display device P80 (image display device) is set to approximately 33 ms (30 FPS) per cycle so as to draw 30 times per second, the loop of the main loop processing is configured to be executed once every 16 ms, which is approximately half of that cycle (from step 4002 to step 4016).

[0280] In the main loop processing of the performance control board P41, first, a clear process of the watchdog timer for detecting CPU runaway is performed (step 4004).

[0281] Subsequently, a process of updating the production control random number data (step 4006) is performed to update various production control random numbers used when an opportunity to execute a production lottery occurs.

[0282] Next, input port monitoring processing is executed (step 4008). In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the input ports are monitored even during the interrupt processing of the production control board P41 described later. However, the input port monitoring processing in the main loop processing is a monitoring with a cycle of 16 ms. Therefore, it only monitors inputs such as switches that are necessary to be monitored on the system, and omits the monitoring of inputs such as sensors required for the production control of the production movable accessory P560. As a modification, regarding the sensors that should be monitored in terms of production, confirmation may be performed in the input port monitoring processing within the main loop processing.

[0283] The content executed in the input port monitoring processing is the same as the input port confirmation processing of the main control board. From the input data of various sensors, level data is generated and stored, or rising (falling) data is stored.

[0284] Subsequently, the production control board P41 performs production device control processing (step 4010) to execute control related to production operations other than the production display device P80 (image display). As the production devices controlled in this processing, there are a lamp P82 ("panel lamp (P550)", "frame lamp (P350)"), a speaker P83 (upper speaker P370, lower speaker 141), a production movable accessory P560, etc. For these production devices, a production operation command corresponding to the production content determined to be executed by a process such as the production control processing (step 4012) described later is transmitted to each production device to execute the production operation.

[0285] In the performance device control process (step 4010), the output of performance operation commands for various performance devices needs to be executed (started) in synchronization with the performance image displayed on the performance display device P80 (image display device). Therefore, signals transmitted at regular intervals from the image control board P42 that controls the performance display device P80 to the performance control board P41, or signals that force synchronization (received in the above-mentioned input port monitoring process), trigger the synchronization with the performance switching timing of the performance display device P80, and the output of performance operation commands is performed for various performance devices.

[0286] Regarding the operation control of the performance movable prop P560 among the performance devices, since shorter cycle control is required for the driving means of the performance movable prop P560, regarding the operation pattern of the performance movable prop P560 to be executed by the performance operation command set in this process, sensor monitoring and operation switching are also executed during the interrupt process of the performance control board P41 (see Fig. 16) described later.

[0287] Next, the performance control process (step 4012) executed in the main loop process of the performance control board P41 will be described. The performance control process is a process of determining by selecting or choosing the performance content to be executed by various performance devices based on the flags established based on the results of analyzing the performance control commands received from the main control board P40 in the performance control command analysis process described later, the information of the received performance control commands themselves (such as the lottery result ID of the special symbol lottery), and the flags established during other processes such as the input port monitoring process (step 4008) and the interrupt process (Fig. 16).

[0288] The performance control process selects the performance determination process to be executed based on each flag information and command analysis information, and calls and executes the sub-module process for the corresponding performance determination. Examples of the performance content determined here include a process of determining a variation performance corresponding to one variation of the special symbol based on commands related to the execution result of the special symbol lottery (correct / incorrect command, symbol command, variation pattern command) (a process of performing a process such as the content of a notice or a reach, and determining a decorative symbol to stop), a pre-reading lottery process of determining whether to execute a pre-reading performance (also called a "pre-judgment performance") for a newly generated hold based on the hold number information and pre-judgment information transmitted when a hold occurs, a special game performance content determination process of determining the performance content during a special game based on information transmitted as a performance control command when executing a special game (big win or small win), and the like.

[0289] In addition, the performance control process not only performs processing on the performance control command transmitted from the main control board P40, but also performs a determination process for the error display content when an error is detected on the performance control board P41 (including a determination process for the error display content based on the error information transmitted from the main control board), adjusts the volume output from the speaker P83 based on input operations such as the performance button P381 and the cross keys P383 which are performance operation means P81 by the player, adjusts the light amount to change the emission luminance of the lamp P82, and also executes the determination of performance content such as the customization of performance content and performance content determination tendency.

[0290] Regarding the determination processes for various performance contents performed in the sub-module process called by the performance control process, since unique specifications are often used for each gaming machine, the description is omitted. When executing the process having features in the pachinko gaming machine P which is the subject of the invention, the details will be described in the description of the embodiment of the pachinko gaming machine P which is the subject of the invention.

[0291] Returning to the description of the main loop process of the performance control board, the performance control command analysis process (step 4014) will be described as the last process of the main loop process.

[0292] The performance control command analysis process stores information corresponding to the performance control command used to determine the performance content in the above-described performance control process and sets flags based on the information stored as the performance control command transmitted from the main control board P40. This process needs to determine the processing content according to the command transmitted from the main control board P40, determines the processing content from the content of the MODE data and EVENT data, which are performance control commands, and executes the processing according to the performance control command.

[0293] Note that since there is a possibility that one command (MODE data and EVENT data) is transmitted every interruption process (every 4 ms) of the main control board P40, in the pachinko game machine P as a premise, the analysis of the performance control command is repeatedly executed as long as possible until the cycle (16 ms) of the main loop process of the performance control board P41 elapses (step 4016).

[0294] [Interrupt Process of Performance Control Board] Next, the interrupt process executed in the CPU of the performance control board P41 will be described. The interrupt process in the performance control board P41 has a plurality of interrupt processes started at different execution timings, which is different from the interrupt process of the main control board (see FIGS. 16(A) and (B)). Note that priorities are set for these multiple interrupt processes, and when an interrupt with a higher priority occurs, the higher-priority interrupt process is controlled to be executed even during the execution of the interrupt process. In this description, the performance control timer interrupt process (FIG. 16(A)) and the performance control command reception interrupt (FIG. 16(B)) will be described as representatives.

[0295] (Performance Control Timer Interrupt Process) The performance control timer interrupt process (FIG. 16(A)) is an interrupt process executed in the CPU of the performance control board P41 at a 1-ms cycle.

[0296] The port input / output process (step 5002) generates and stores level data and rising edge data from the inputs of sensors provided for detecting the position of the actuating prop P560 and other sensors (input sensors of the production operation means P81) from the input ports of the production control board P41, and outputs a drive signal to the drive means (such as solenoids and stepping motors) of the actuating prop P560 according to the operation pattern set in the production device control process from the output ports. Also, when data is output from the output port, if necessary, the data of a counter (storage area) that counts the number of outputs is updated.

[0297] The timer update process (step 5004) is a process that performs subtraction and addition of a timer that measures the switching timing of the production operation. When the update process for each timer is completed, a comparison operation with the comparison value is performed to determine whether the switching condition of the production operation has occurred, and a process of storing information and flags necessary for determining the production content in the storage area is performed in the production control process (step 4012).

[0298] The sensor monitoring process (step 5006) determines whether sensor detection information related to the switching of the production operation, such as whether the switching condition of the production operation of the actuating prop P560 is satisfied, has occurred from the detection data of the sensors generated in the port input / output process, and performs a process of switching the operation pattern table or setting a condition flag for determining the production content in the production control process (step 4012).

[0299] The production button monitoring process (step 5008) is a process of determining whether the switching condition of the production based on the inputs of the production buttons P381, levers P382, cross keys P383, etc., which are the production operation means P81, is satisfied. In the production button monitoring process, the presence or absence of an operation and the operation mode for the production operation means P81 are determined from the level data and rising edge data (data indicating that the level data has changed from off to on this time) indicating the input states of the respective input devices generated in the port input / output process (step 5002).

[0300] For example, when start-up data is generated as input information for the effect operation means P81, information such as a flag for executing the corresponding effect is stored as if there has been a player operation on the effect operation means P81. Note that if the input is determined only by the start-up data, there is a possibility of false detection due to electrical noise and the switching of the effect operation. Therefore, after the generation of the start-up data, it may be determined that there is a player operation (which may be expressed as a "single press (single pull) operation" or a "one-shot operation") on the effect operation means P81 when the input of a plurality of levels of data (on-data) is continuous.

[0301] Also, when the on-input level data is continuously detected 500 times, that is, when it is determined that the effect operation means P81 has been operated for 0.5 seconds, it is determined as a "long press (long pull)" operation and configured to be treated as a special operation. Note that in determining the presence and continuation of the "long press (long pull)" operation, there may be a case where the fall data (data indicating that the level data has changed from on to off this time from the previous on) is detected as electrical noise. In this case as well, similar to the above-mentioned countermeasures for preventing false detection, after the detection of the fall data, it may be determined that the input of the "long press (long pull)" operation has ended based on the detection of the input of a plurality of levels of data (off-data).

[0302] And in the pachinko game machine P under consideration, depending on the effect content being executed, by executing a "long press" operation on the effect button P381, it is possible to repeatedly perform a process of assuming that there has been a "single press (single pull)" input operation of the effect operation means P81 once every certain period (for example, every 0.3 seconds). In this way, a special operation such as a "long press (long pull)" operation triggers a repeated process that assumes a "single press" operation has been performed, which is called an "auto rapid fire" operation. Note that the "auto rapid fire" operation is not limited to the exemplified operation content, and it is also possible to adopt a method of assuming that the "auto rapid fire" operation has been executed based on the input of the effect button P381 by simultaneously operating a plurality of effect operation means P81 or by performing an on / off operation of a dip switch provided as a switch different from the effect button.

[0303] Note that for the input to the effect operation means P81, depending on the execution status of the effect, there are a period treated as a valid operation (the "operation valid period") and a period treated as an invalid operation (the "operation invalid period").

[0304] The multitasking (step 5010) is a process that varies the processing content to be executed during the currently generated effect control timer interrupt process according to the value of a task counter (updated between the values "0" and "15") that is updated every time the effect control timer interrupt process is executed. The task counter is configured to cycle at a 16 ms period, and the processing at each counter value is configured to be executed almost synchronously with one cycle of the main loop process. As an example of the processing in each task, it is determined based on a signal (generating input information in port input / output processing) transmitted from the image control board P42 whether the operation of the image control board P42 can be executed, and the operation status of the image control board P42 is monitored.

[0305] The image control command transmission process (step 5012) is a process of transmitting an image control command (sometimes called a "sub-intercommand") to the CPU of the image control board P42 so that the CPU of the image control board P42 executes an image display according to the effect content determined in the effect control process P41. Note that the image control board P42 and the effect control board P41 may be configured with the same board, but in this specification, it is described as the image control board P42 for convenience.

[0306] In the assumed pachinko game machine P, the effect control board P41 is configured to include a first command indicating the type of display content and a second command specifying the pattern of the display content in the image control command, and is configured to transmit it to the image control board P42.

[0307] Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, image control commands are transmitted in the production control timer interrupt process. However, regarding the transmission and reception of commands between the production control board P41 and the image control board P42, it is also possible to configure to perform transmission and reception by providing a separate interrupt process.

[0308] (Production control command reception interrupt) The production control command reception interrupt (Fig. 16(B)) is an interrupt process that occurs when a strobe signal is output in the production control command transmission process (step 2040) during the interrupt process (Fig. 9) of the main control board P40 and the production control board P41 receives the strobe signal.

[0309] When the production control board P41 starts the production control command reception interrupt, it reads the production control command (MODE data or EVENT data) transmitted from the output port of the main control board P40, and updates and stores the temporary buffer data (steps 5502, step 5504).

[0310] When the update of the temporary buffer data is completed, it is determined whether the reception of one production control command (a combination of MODE data and EVENT data) is completed (step 5506). Note that the production control command transmitted from the main control board P40 is composed of "1" and "0" for specific bits in 1-byte data.

[0311] When updating the temporary buffer data (2-byte data storage area) in step 5504 described above, the process of storing the content of the production control command received this time in the lower 1-byte storage area is usually performed. At this time, if the specific bit part in the lower 1-byte of the current temporary buffer data storage area indicates that it is MODE data before the update, after shifting and storing the stored data of the temporary buffer data in the upper 1-byte storage area, the EVENT data received this time is stored in the lower 1-byte storage area of the temporary buffer data.

[0312] In the determination of the completion of reception of the effect control command in step 5506, it is determined whether a specific bit in the lower 1 byte of the temporary buffer data is data indicating EVENT data. If it is determined that it is EVENT data, it is considered that the reception of the effect control command No. 1 has been completed (step 5506 YES), and the process proceeds to the next process. If it is determined that it is MODE data (step 5506 NO), the effect control command reception interrupt is exited, and other processes are performed and waiting is done until a strobe signal based on the transmission of EVENT data is received from the main control board P40.

[0313] In step 5506, when it is determined that the reception of the effect control command has been completed, it is determined whether the sent effect control command is normal (step 5508). This process is determined based on, for example, whether there is matching data in the list data of the effect control commands that can be transmitted from the main control board P40. And when it is determined that it is a normal command, the received effect control command is stored in the storage area for storing it to be analyzed by the effect control command analysis process during the effect control timer interrupt process. In the case of abnormal data, the temporary buffer data is discarded.

[0314] [Example of the effect of basic image display] Next, with reference to FIGS. 17 to 20, the basic effects in the pachinko game machine P as a premise will be described. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the symbol variation display (during the stop display of the decorative symbol) during normal game play (medium low probability / medium low base). FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a situation where a reach effect with a high expectation of a big win is being performed. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a state where a big win game is being executed. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a game effect during the operation of the electric chu support function in a specific game state (high probability or medium low probability / high base).

[0315] (Example of the effect display in the normal game state) 《Decorative symbol》 FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the symbol variation display (during the stop display of the decorative symbol) during normal gaming (medium with low probability / low base). Three numbers are displayed in a manner that allows the player to clearly confirm them in the approximate center region of the screen. These three symbols are called "decorative symbols (P801)" (also referred to as "decoration symbols"), which are dramatic displays corresponding to the results of the special symbol lottery and are variably displayed in accordance with the variation display of the special symbol. Although only numbers are shown in FIG. 17, there may be cases where each number is displayed with a decorative image such as a character image. Also, when configured to display each number with a decorative image, the decorative image and the display mode of each number may be made different depending on the gaming state. By configuring it in this way, it becomes easier for the player to determine the current gaming state.

[0316] Except when a special effect is being performed, the decorative symbol P801 is variably displayed once (one special symbol lottery) as an effect for each variation display of the special symbol. Although not shown, when the decorative symbol P801 is variably displayed, the decorative symbol is variably displayed at high speed (in some cases, it may become transparent or non-displayed), and an effect called a "preview" using animations and effect images is performed to enhance the anticipation of winning a big hit game.

[0317] The decorative symbol P801 shown in FIG. 17, after being scrolled and displayed in the vertical direction (from top to bottom) when the variation display starts, the stop display symbols determined by the effect control board P41 are stopped and displayed for each symbol column in the order of the left symbol (P801a), the right symbol (P801c), and the middle symbol (P801b). Generally, when the three decorative symbols P801 are stopped and displayed in the same manner (identical), it is an effect to notify that it is a big hit. Also, a state where one symbol is variably displayed while another symbol is being displayed, for example, a state where the left and right symbols are displayed (temporarily stopped display) with the same symbol before the middle symbol P801b, which is the symbol that finally stops (also referred to as the "final stop symbol"), stops is called a "reach" ("reach state", "reach mode").

[0318] The variable display of the decorative symbol P801 is often displayed in a scrolling manner in the vertical direction (from top to bottom). However, the mode of variable display is not limited to the vertical direction, and it may also perform a scrolling display operation in the horizontal direction, depth direction, or forward and backward (diagonal) directions using the depth. Alternatively, it may perform a rotation operation in place without scrolling and be switched and displayed in order.

[0319] In addition, the decorative symbol P801 has a case where it performs multiple stop displays during a single variable display of the special symbol. At this time, during the multiple stop displays, the stop display indicating the result of the special lottery is the stop display that is displayed simultaneously with the timing when the stop display symbol of the special symbol is stopped and displayed on the special symbol display device. The stop displays at other timings are referred to as "temporary stops (displays)". Note that the stop display that is simultaneous with the stop display of the special symbol may sometimes be expressed as "main stop".

[0320] When the temporary stop of the decorative symbol P801 is performed, in order to distinguish it from the final stop display (main stop) of the symbol, the decorative symbol P801 is not completely fixed, but is temporarily stopped to such an extent that it cannot be recognized as being fixed, or it operates in a direction such as up and down or left and right, or it performs a swaying motion around a single axis of rotation. Such a state may sometimes be expressed as "swaying variation" in addition to the temporary stop.

[0321] After the decorative symbol P801 is temporarily stopped and displayed, it may repeat the variable display again. Generally, the re-variation from the state where a symbol other than the jackpot symbol is temporarily stopped is called the "pseudo-variation (pseudo-link)" effect, and the re-variation where the jackpot symbol that is stopped and displayed after the stop of the jackpot symbol may be changed is called the "upgrade (variation)" effect. Note that when performing the upgrade effect, it may be configured not to change to a jackpot symbol that is less favorable than the stopped jackpot symbol, or not to change to a losing symbol.

[0322] Also, when the decorative symbol P801 stops displaying, there is a type of special decorative symbol that is not displayed during normal variable display and is only displayed when certain effects are executed. This is called the "Special Decorative Symbol (P804)" (Special Symbol). Each of the special decorative symbols has a meaning. For example, it may suggest that a specific big win is executed, or it may suggest performing the pseudo-variable effect described above, or it may suggest that a specific reach effect (a preview effect displayed when it reaches a certain state) is executed. When using a special symbol, the special symbol may be temporarily stopped as the decorative symbol (middle symbol P801b) that finally temporarily stops, or the special symbol may be temporarily stopped as one decorative symbol that substitutes for all of the left symbol P801a, middle symbol P801b, and right symbol P801c.

[0323] 《Simple Decorative Symbol (Mini Decorative Symbol)》 Three numbers are displayed in the upper right of the screen in the same manner as the decorative symbol P801. This symbol is also called the "Simple Decorative Symbol (P802)" ("Simple Symbol") or "Mini Decorative Symbol", and is displayed as an indicator showing the lottery result of the special symbol in accordance with the variable display of the special symbol similar to the "decorative symbol" described above.

[0324] Unlike the "decorative symbol", the simple decorative symbol P802 (mini decorative symbol) always performs one stop display for each special symbol lottery, in accordance with the special symbol indicating the special lottery result being displayed on the special symbol display devices P51 and P52, even when a special effect is being executed where the decorative symbol P801 does not stop displaying.

[0325] Also, the variable display of the simple decorative symbol P802 may be configured to form the same reach mode when the above-mentioned decorative symbol P801 reaches a reach state, or a simple method of variable display may be adopted, such as performing a certain display switch until the variable display of the special symbol reaches a stop display state regardless of the decorative symbol P801, in order to achieve the minimum purpose of notifying the result of the special symbol lottery.

[0326] 《Reservation Display Area》 In the lower region of FIG. 17, a hold display area P810 is provided. In the hold display area P810, as the right of the special symbol lottery acquired by the player, a hold object P811 corresponding to the hold (random value) corresponding to the unexercised right is displayed. In the example of FIG. 17, a state where three rights of the special symbol lottery are held is shown.

[0327] In the example of FIG. 17, the earlier the execution timing of the special symbol lottery (that is, the earlier-occurring hold), the closer the position is to the approximate center of the lower part of the screen. The display position of the hold object located on the rightmost side of the hold display area P810 is called "Hold 1 (display area)", and as it goes toward the left side of the screen, it is called "Hold 2 (display area)", "Hold 3 (display area)", "Hold 4 (display area)".

[0328] Also, in the vicinity of the right side of the hold display area P810, an object in substantially the same form as the hold object P811 of the hold display area P810 is displayed in a position one level higher and in a larger size than the hold object P811. This display area continuously displays the hold display corresponding to the random value that triggered the start of the current special symbol variation display from the hold display area, and is referred to as "the variable object display area (P812)". Also, the object displayed in the variable object display area P812 is called "the variable object (P813)", but may also be referred to as "the hold display", etc., and the initial letter "the" is added to distinguish it from the hold object P811 in the hold display area P810.

[0329] Note that the display mode of the variable object P813 in the variable object display area P812 does not necessarily have to be exactly the same as that of the hold object P811. When a certain hold display moves and is displayed in the variable object display area P812 along with the start of the variation, the shape may change or it may disappear (become non-displayed). Also, the variable object P813 may be configured such that its display mode can change in the same way as the hold display in the hold change preview described later (for example, the shape and color of the object change at the timing during the variation display).

[0330] "Simple Hold Display" At approximately the center position in the height direction on the left side of the screen, two numbers are displayed side by side vertically. These two numbers represent the number of holds for the current first special symbol and the number of holds for the second special symbol, and are called "Simple Hold Display (P814)". In the example in FIG. 17, the number of holds for the first special symbol is indicated by the numerical value "3" displayed above, and the number of holds for the second special symbol is indicated by the numerical value "4" displayed below.

[0331] (Preview effect) "Hold Change Preview" Also, in FIG. 17, the hold object P811 in the hold 3 display area in the hold display area P810 is displayed in a different manner from the hold objects P811 in the hold 2 and hold 1 display areas. In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the display manner of the hold object P811 for hold 3 is configured to be more likely to result in a big win than the display manner of the hold object P811 for hold 2. Thus, the effect of changing the display manner of the hold object P811 for a specific hold and displaying it is called "Hold Change (Preview)".

[0332] Note that it is not limited to only the mode illustrated in FIG. 17, and it may be configured to have a plurality of types of change modes, each having a different probability (expectation) of resulting in a big win, and the display manner of the hold object P811 may be changed step by step.

[0333] Also, not limited to "Hold Change (Preview)", when an effect is determined to be an execution target for a random number value stored as a hold, before the start of a variable display corresponding to the hold that has become the execution target of the effect, an effect that suggests a high probability of a big win for the hold that has become the execution target of the effect is called "Preview Effect" (sometimes referred to as "Pre-Judgment Effect").

[0334] When performing the "preview effect", the hold determined as the target of the effect execution may be referred to as "preview target hold", "trigger hold", "culprit hold", etc., and the variable display of the special symbol based on the preview target hold may be referred to as "preview target variation", "trigger variation", "culprit variation", etc.

[0335] Here, as the "preview effect", several typical examples that can be adopted in the pachinko game machine P as a premise are illustrated.

[0336] 《Chance Eye Preview》 "Chance Eye Preview" is an effect in which the stop display pattern of the decorative symbol P801 according to a predetermined rule is stopped (or temporarily stopped) in the variable display of the decorative symbol P801 until the variation of the preview target variation starts. As an example of the rule of the stop display pattern of the decorative symbol P801 predetermined as the chance eye, (a) when the off-symbol is stopped by a combination of only symbols with the same color in the numerical part of the decorative symbol, (i) when the stop symbols of the decorative symbol are arranged in order (forward order, reverse order) such as "1", "2", "3" or "5", "4", "3", etc., (u) when a special number such as "7" or a symbol different from a number such as "first" is stopped as the stop display symbol of the middle symbol, etc. can be mentioned.

[0337] 《Effect Movable Object Preview》 "Effect Movable Object Preview" is an effect in which the effect movable object P560 or the frame movable object P360 (such as the lever P382 of the pachinko game machine P1 as a premise) provided on the game board P5 or the frame (glass frame P3) is variably moved or moved across the preview target variation until the variable display of the preview target variation starts, and is lively moved according to the effect operation pattern from the start of the variation.

[0338] 《Zone Transition Preview》 "Zone Advance Reading" is a preview effect that suggests a high probability of a big win by performing a preview lottery to shift to a special effect mode (called "zone") in the variable display of the special symbol before the preview target variation starts, and to execute a preview effect corresponding to the special effect mode until the variable display that becomes the preview target variation. For example, it may be "display normal background → display background during preview → big win", or "display normal background → display background during preview → the losing symbol stops and returns to the normal background".

[0339] (Example display during the execution of the reach effect) Subsequently, FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a situation where a reach effect with a high expectation of a big win is being performed. As described above, the "reach effect" is a situation where the decorative symbols (left symbol P801a and right symbol P801c) other than the one decorative symbol (middle symbol P801b) are displayed in the same state, and it is an effect in a state where it is notified that a big win will occur if one more symbol stops in the same state.

[0340] In the pachinko machine P as a premise, in many cases, it is configured to notify a big win when the three decorative symbols P801 become the same stop display state via the reach effect.

[0341] In the example of FIG. 18, the left symbol P801a and the right symbol P801c of the decorative symbol are displayed as "5", and the symbols "4", "5", and "6" are displayed as the symbols in the middle symbol column during variation. The situation where the "4" symbol vibrates violently and a big win occurs if it switches to "5" is shown.

[0342] Here, in the example of FIG. 18, the display of the left and right symbols "5" of the decorative symbol is smaller than the decorative symbol P801 at the stop display in FIG. 17, and the decorative symbol P801b in the middle symbol column during the variable display is displayed larger than the decorative symbol P801 at the stop display and is emphasized. The smaller decorative symbols corresponding to the left symbol P801a and the right symbol P801c at this time may be called "retreat symbols (P803)", "reach symbols", etc. In the reach effect, in addition to the illustrated example, depending on the ending of the animation of the preview effect (reach effect) displayed along with the variable display of the decorative symbol, it may inform whether it is a big win or not. By making the already temporarily stopped left symbol P801a and right symbol P801c smaller (or non-displayed) than the retreat symbol P803, the visibility of the effect that the player wants to pay attention to is enhanced.

[0343] Also, there are known gaming machines that do not have three displays of the decorative symbol P801, and there is also a multi-line reach that forms a multi-line reach mode at the same time. However, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0344] As an exception to the reach effect, there is a reach effect called "full rotation reach" in which all three decorative symbols P801 are variably displayed synchronously in the same manner. Although it is situationally different from the situation of "a state where decorative symbols other than one decorative symbol are displayed in the same manner and it is notified that it will be a big win if the last symbol stops in the same manner", which is the criterion for the reach effect, the full rotation reach is also recognized by those skilled in the art as a reach effect.

[0345] Also in FIG. 18, in the lower right area of the screen, a "production setting display area (P850)" is displayed, and in the example of FIG. 18, a volume setting display P851 is displayed as the production setting display.

[0346] The performance setting display area P850 is an area that displays the setting status and change status of a volume setting function for adjusting the volume level output from the speaker P83 of the gaming machine P, a light quantity adjustment function for adjusting the emission luminance of the decorative lamp P82 of the gaming machine P, and further a performance mode change function for changing the type of a pre-warning performance called a performance mode or changing the occurrence frequency of the pre-warning performance.

[0347] The performance setting display area P850 is not always displayed, but is temporarily displayed when the player executes operations related to the various performance settings (volume adjustment function, light quantity adjustment function, performance mode change function) described above. For example, it is possible to display a performance setting display (volume setting display P851) related to the volume adjustment function shown in FIG. 18 by operating the left and right directions of the cross key P383. In the situation of FIG. 18, when the player further operates the right button of the cross key P383, the set volume level (the blackened area in the figure) increases, and the volume setting value changes from "3" to "4".

[0348] Also, in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, when performing light quantity adjustment, it is configured such that a change operation is performed by operating the up and down directions of the cross key P383. Examples of the performance mode change function include switching the performance mode in a predetermined order in response to an operation of a performance button. Note that the operations related to these performance settings may adopt different operation modes in relation to the execution of the performance during the game, and other than the illustrated method of changing the settings, it can be appropriately adopted.

[0349] Also, regarding the display of the performance setting display area P850 and the use of various performance setting functions, it is possible to set a period during which the player's performance setting operation is valid and a period during which it is invalid, respectively. When a particularly important performance is executed, the performance setting display area P850 is made non-displayed, and the use of various performance setting functions is made invalid.

[0350] (Example of performance display during jackpot game) Next, based on FIG. 19, the display mode of the effect in the state where the pachinko gaming machine P is executing a jackpot game will be described.

[0351] 《Effect Display Indicating the Type of Jackpot》 In the lower left and upper right of the screen in FIG. 19, the decorative symbol P801 that triggered the jackpot game is displayed. In the lower left of the screen, similar to during the execution of the above-described reach effect, one decorative symbol P801 (also referred to as the "jackpot decorative symbol (P805)") is displayed in a display mode smaller than the decorative symbol during variable display, and in the upper right of the screen, the simple decorative symbol P802 displayed when the variable display of the special symbol ended is continuously displayed.

[0352] In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, depending on the type of the decorative symbol P801 that triggered the jackpot (the one that stopped and was displayed at the time of jackpot occurrence), the type of jackpot executed for the player, the degree of expectation of the number of game balls that can be obtained during the jackpot, and the game state (normal game state) after the jackpot ends are suggestively shown in terms of the effect. Therefore, by displaying the decorative symbol (jackpot decorative symbol P805, simple symbol P802) that triggered the jackpot in this way, it is possible to suggest the type of jackpot and the number of game balls that are expected to be obtained even during the jackpot game.

[0353] Also, as a display indicating the type of jackpot, in FIG. 19, an icon image P821 imitating a pentagonal shield is displayed under the character string "ROUND6" (referred to as the "round display (P820)"), and the character "MAX" is described in the center of the icon P821. The icon P821 in the figure indicates a jackpot suggested by the character string "MAX", showing that the jackpot game of the maximum round that the assumed pachinko gaming machine P has is being executed. This icon P821 is called the "jackpot icon" or the "consecutive win (display) icon", and each time a specific game state and the jackpot game are repeatedly executed, it is cumulatively arranged and the display increases, serving as an effect display that notifies the player so that they can understand how many times and what types of jackpots have been obtained in the so-called "consecutive win" state.

[0354] Although not shown in the drawings, in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, in the "big win start demo effect" of the effect display executed during the big win start demo period, by displaying messages such as "〇〇 bonus!" (notifying a maximum round big win) or "△△ chance" (suggesting a big win that is not the maximum round), an effect is executed to notify the player of the type of big win.

[0355] Also, for example, even when it is suggested that the big win is one such as "△△ chance" with a small number of executed rounds, it is also possible to execute a "big win upgrade effect" such as notifying that the execution round of the big win is actually a big win of the maximum round as "extra bonus! + 〇 rounds" during the big win round.

[0356] Note that the "big win upgrade effect" may also be used when suggesting that a big win game is being executed that transitions to a specific gaming state that is more advantageous to the player than the type of big win previously notified. For example, an effect display is switched from an effect of a big win game (referred to as a "non-probability variation big win" or "normal big win") that suggests that the probability variation function does not operate after the big win game to an effect of a big win game (referred to as a "probability variation big win" or "specific big win") where the probability variation function operates after the big win game.

[0357] 《Effect Display Indicating the Progress of the Big Win Game》 Next, an explanation will be given regarding the effect display indicating the progress of the big win game when the big win game is executed. In FIG. 19, as effects indicating the big win effect display, there are a "round display (P820)" executed by displaying the character string "ROUND_〇" in the upper left of the screen, an "acquired ball number display (P822)" executed by displaying the character string "TOTAL_〇〇pt" in the lower right of the screen, a "count display (P825)" displayed by 10 circular image objects slightly in the center on the right side of the screen, and so on. Although not shown in the drawings, during the big win game, in addition to these displays, an image display such as an animation called a "round effect" is displayed.

[0358] 《Round Display》 The "Round Display (P820)" is a display that indicates which round of the ongoing round game (unit game) is being played during a jackpot game. The numerical value on the right side of "ROUND" is updated at the timing when the round game starts. In the example of Fig. 19, it shows the situation where the round game of the 6th round is being executed.

[0359] Note that the "Round Display (p820)" does not necessarily need to be synchronized with the actual number of rounds executed during the jackpot game. For example, in the specifications of the aforementioned "Small Jackpot V", during the small jackpot game, it may be counted as the 1st round, and the 1st round of the jackpot game executed after winning V may be treated as the 2nd round. Also, in other examples, when the opening pattern of the big winning port P751 in the round game ends with a transition to an easy ball - entry state for a short time, the value of the "Round Display" may not be updated, and it may be treated as the "substantially executed round" only when the opening pattern of the big winning port becomes an easy ball - entry state for a long time.

[0360] 《Acquired Ball Count Display》 The "Acquired Ball Count Display (P822)" includes types such as the "Jackpot Acquired Ball Count Display (P823※ not shown in the figure)" that displays the number of game balls accumulated in one ongoing jackpot game, and the "Cumulative Acquired Ball Count Display (824)" that displays the number of game balls accumulated in multiple jackpots with specific games in between. In Fig. 19, an example is shown where the "Cumulative Acquired Ball Count Display (P824)" with a 5 - digit acquired ball count display is being shown. Note that the "Jackpot Acquired Ball Count Display (P823)" and the "Cumulative Acquired Ball Count Display (P824)" may be displayed simultaneously in parallel.

[0361] In the pachinko machine P as a premise, regarding the "Acquired Ball Count Display (P822)", it is assumed to display the cumulative number of prize balls paid out based on the balls entering the big winning port P751 during the jackpot game. However, regarding the cumulative target of the prize ball payout of the acquired ball count display P822, it may be cumulatively added based on the payout related to the balls entering the general winning port P731 or the second start - winning port P721 arranged in the right - hand area P501R of the game board P5.

[0362] Also, as another modification example, the display period of the "acquired ball count display (P822)" may be displayed not only during a jackpot game but also during the execution of a specific game. Regarding the addition period of the cumulative prize ball payout number of the "acquired ball count display (P822)", it may be configured to be extended not only during a jackpot game but also during a specific game or a small win game.

[0363] Note that in the pachinko game machine P under consideration, in addition to the "acquired ball count display (P822)", in special situations such as when the cumulative prize ball payout number reaches a delimiter payout number such as "2500 balls", "5000 balls", "10000 balls", etc., a "delimiter acquired ball count display" effect that emphasizes and notifies the player in addition to the "acquired ball count display" can be executed (for example, display "GET10000!!").

[0364] 《Count Display》 The "count display (P825)" is a display that shows how many more game balls can be entered until the number of game balls set as the closing condition of the big winning opening P751 in one round of the game, or how many game balls have entered the big winning opening P751 in this round of the game. The former is displayed as a shaded circular object in FIG. 19, and the latter is displayed as a two-column object display at a position slightly to the center of the right side of the screen as a white circular object.

[0365] In the example of FIG. 19, as the game of the 6th round, 5 game balls have already entered the big winning opening (displayed as a white circular object), and it is shown by the count display P825 that 5 more game balls can be entered (displayed as a shaded circular object). The count display P825 is reset to the initial state every time a new round starts.

[0366] During the execution of the round game of the big win game, depending on the flow situation of the game balls, there may be a case where a winning occurs in which the number of game balls that consecutively satisfy the closing condition of the big winning opening P751 is equal to or more than the number of game balls that satisfy the closing condition of the big winning opening P751. The occurrence of a winning with a number of game balls equal to or more than such a closing condition is called an "over winning".

[0367] Although not shown in the figure, when an "over winning" occurs, a special effect may be performed using the object display of the count display P825, etc., or a special light emission of the effect lamp P82 or a special effect sound may be emitted from the speaker P83 to notify. Also, regarding the acquired ball number display P822 described above, the number of prize balls paid out based on the winning that results in an "over winning" may or may not be included in the addition target.

[0368] 《Other effect displays during the big win game》 Next, other effect displays in which the effect display is being executed in FIG. 19 will be described.

[0369] First, the two numbers displayed at a position slightly to the center on the left side of the screen are the simple hold display P814 described above.

[0370] The display "Sound_2" shown on the right side of the decorative symbol (big win decorative drawing P805) at the lower left of the screen is the "selected music display (P854)" that indicates the title of the music being played during the current big win game. In the pachinko game machine P assumed, during the big win game, there is a specification that allows the player to arbitrarily select the music to be played by operating the effect button P381 or the cross key P383 between the first round and the second round. Regarding the selected music display P854, when the music can be changed, an image display of "(up)(down) keys can be used to change" is performed near the selected music display P854 as shown in FIG. 20.

[0371] In addition, the selection of effects during such a jackpot game is not limited to music selection, but also includes changing round effects and selecting effects (effect modes) during specific games after the jackpot game (collectively referred to as "effect customization display (P853)"). However, detailed explanations of these are omitted.

[0372] Finally, the "right strike" and the right arrow symbol displayed at the bottom of the simplified installation diagram P802 in the upper right corner of the screen are image displays related to "strike division notification (P830)" (also called "recommended launch position notification", etc.). In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, during the jackpot game, it is a recommended gaming state to launch the game ball into the right area P501R of the gaming area. Therefore, "right strike notification (P832)" (display of the character string "right strike" and the right arrow symbol) is being executed.

[0373] "Strike division notification" is displayed not only during the jackpot game but also during the game in a specific gaming state or during the game in the normal gaming state. In particular, in situations where the gaming state changes (occurrence / end of jackpot or occurrence / end of specific gaming state), an effect is executed to notify the player of the recommended launch position in the next gaming state by temporarily displaying a larger-sized display at the center of the screen or the like that is easier for the player to recognize than the strike division notification P830 shown in FIG. 19.

[0374] In addition, in the "strike division notification (P830)", what is temporarily displayed in a large size at the timing of the transition of the gaming state is expressed as the "first strike division notification image" ("large right strike display (P831)", "large left strike display (P833)"), and for the display that shows the recommended launch position in the gaming state almost throughout the period when the gaming state continues during the jackpot game or during a specific gaming state, it may be expressed as the "second strike division notification image" ("small right strike display (P832)", "small left strike display (P834)").

[0375] In addition, as another type of effect for "separate notification (P830)", when a situation is detected where a game ball is launched at a position other than the recommended launch position, for example, when a game ball is launched into the left area P501L of the game area during a big win, a "left shot warning notification" that alerts the player to the fact that a game ball should be launched into the right area P501R of the game area (a "right shot caution notification (P835)") is performed, such as displaying a message like "Please make a right shot". In a situation where the recommended launch position and the player's actual launch position are reversed, a "right shot warning notification" (a "left shot caution notification (P936)") is executed.

[0376] (Example of effect display during a specific game state) Figure 20 is a diagram showing a game effect during the operation of the electric chu support function in a specific game state (high probability or low probability / high base). Although various effect displays are made in the figure, the explanations regarding those described in the previous explanations are omitted, and explanations regarding effect displays not explained so far and effect displays having differences from the previous explanations are given.

[0377] First, as an effect display not explained so far, explanations regarding an "effect mode display (P840)" and a "remaining number of game times display (P841)" are given as explanations regarding the effect display during a specific game state.

[0378] 《Effect mode display》 The "effect mode display (P840)" is a display indicating the state of the current effect display mode, and is a display indicating that a preview effect corresponding to the applicable mode has been selected based on state information called the effect mode. When the effect mode displays are different, although there are some preview effects that are partially common in terms of the types of preview effects visible to the player, it is common for them to be created so that the impressions given visually are significantly different. In Figure 20, a display saying "RUSH_MODE" is made, indicating that the game state in the pachinko game machine P as a premise is in the "ST (number cut sure change)" (high probability / high base state).

[0379] Note that, in addition to notifying the production mode in a specific gaming state, the "Production Mode Display (P840)" may be displayed in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), or when there are multiple production modes in one gaming state, the display may be performed temporarily every time the condition for switching the production mode is satisfied, or continuously until the production mode ends.

[0380] 《Remaining Game Count Display》 The "Remaining Game Count Display (P841)" is a display representing the number of variable displays of special symbols (the number of special symbol draws) until the end of a specific gaming state, or the number of variable displays of special symbols until the end of the current production mode. In FIG. 20, a display of "Remaining_56" is executed at the upper center of the screen, notifying the player that the gaming state of "ST (Count Cut Sure Change)" will continue until 56 more special symbol draws are executed.

[0381] Next, in the production display example of the specific gaming state shown in FIG. 20, an explanation will be given regarding the display that is different from the production display examples in the other gaming states described above.

[0382] 《Decoration Symbol (Specific Gaming State)》 In the center of the screen in FIG. 20, a variable display of the decoration symbol P801 is shown. Compared with the decoration symbol P801 in the production display example in the normal gaming state of FIG. 20, in the production display example of the decoration symbol P801 in the specific gaming state of FIG. 20, the display of the decoration symbol P801 is shown smaller.

[0383] In the pachinko machine P under consideration, as an effect display in a specific game state, an effect mode display P840, a remaining number of game turns display P841, and further a jackpot icon display P821 are performed at the upper part of the screen, and a selected music display P854 and a number of balls acquired display P824 are performed at the lower part of the screen. In the specific game state, in order to perform such additional displays that are not displayed in the normal game state (low probability / low base state), if the decorative symbol P801 is displayed in the same size as the normal game state, there is a risk that the display of some symbols will overlap with a part of each display during the stop display, resulting in a problem that the visibility of the stop display symbols decreases. In the pachinko machine P under consideration, the display of the decorative symbol P801 is made smaller and simplified so that such problems are less likely to occur. Further, as an example of simplifying the display of the decorative symbol P801, in addition to reducing the size, a method of not displaying a character image or the like that is displayed in addition to the number indicating the symbol can also be adopted.

[0384] 《Reservation Display Area (Specific Game State)》 In the pachinko machine P under consideration, as shown in the lower left of the screen in FIG. 20, as the display of the reservation object P811 in the reservation display area P810 of the specific game state, a display area for the reservation objects from "Reservation 1" to "Reservation 4" is provided in the depth direction from the front side of the screen. Note that the display of the variable object display area P812 (and the variable object display P813) is omitted in the effect mode state of "RUSH_MODE".

[0385] When the variable display shown in FIG. 20 ends and a new variable starts in the state, the display of the reservation object P811 located at the bottom of FIG. 20 disappears, and the display of the reservation objects P811 arranged in the back moves to the front and is controlled to be displayed larger.

[0386] Further, an explanation will be given regarding the "result display effect", which is an important effect as an effect displayed during a specific game although not shown in the figure.

[0387] 《Result Display Effect》 "Result display effect" is an effect that occurs at the timing when the player recognizes that the "continuous winning" state has ended, mainly when the last variation of a specific game state (high base state) is executed in the pachinko machine P as a premise, or when there are no more pending operations that occurred during the specific game state. In the so-called "continuous winning" state, it is an effect that notifies the player of information such as how many jackpot games have been won and how many game balls have been obtained in total (corresponding to the display of the number of obtained balls).

[0388] [This embodiment] The pachinko machine P of this embodiment has various characteristic configurations in addition to the above-mentioned premise technology as its basic configuration. Hereinafter, the description will focus on the differences from the premise technology, and the description of the common points will be omitted or simplified. Among the elements constituting the pachinko machine P of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are assigned to the elements that are the same as or corresponding to the elements described in the premise technology.

[0389] The pachinko machine P of this embodiment is a pachinko machine that adopts "Small Jackpot V" described in the description of the representative game machine specifications ("specifications") of the pachinko machine as a premise. Depending on the "base state" in the normal game state when starting a small jackpot (or jackpot) game, after the execution of the jackpot game (or after the execution of the jackpot game based on the activated accessory continuous operation device by passing through a specific area P760 inside the big winning opening P751 during the small jackpot game), the content of the "specific game state" in the normal game state (especially the length of the period maintaining the "base state" as the "high base state") is made different to provide a new gameplay.

[0390] In particular, the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment is in a state immediately after the normal gaming state has ended the "specific gaming state" (low probability / high base state) and is controlled to the "(low probability / )low base state". When a special symbol hold (hold of the second special symbol), which is the main body of the game in the specific gaming state, is executed and a winning (or a big winning) right is obtained, the period of maintaining the specific gaming state (low probability / high base state) as the gaming state after the special gaming state (big winning game) is configured so that the next winning (or big winning) can be obtained substantially. By doing so, it adopts a characteristic gameplay in which the right to win substantially two wins (big wins) can be obtained.

[0391] The following provides a detailed description of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment having the above-described characteristics.

[0392] (Game board configuration) First, the configuration of the game board of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment (configuration of the gaming area) will be described.

[0393] The pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment can be implemented with substantially the same game board configuration as the pachinko gaming machine on the premise shown in FIG. 1. Since the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment adopts the gameplay (specifications) described later, it has a configuration in which a specific area P760 is provided inside the large winning opening (attacker) P751. Note that, as long as the change does not change (or is a minor change that remains) the gameplay disclosed below, a different game board configuration may be adopted as appropriate.

[0394] (Specifications) Next, the gameplay (specifications) of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment will be described. In this description, regarding the "settings" (set values) that affect the ball payout performance, only the specifications regarding "Setting 1" will be described, but various numerical values regarding other set values are set as appropriate.

[0395] The pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment has the probability of winning or losing lottery set as the big win probability of 1 / 269 (common for the first special symbol and the second special symbol), and the small win probability of 1 / 9.1 (only for the second special symbol). The number of prize balls is set as follows: 4 balls for the first start winning port (the first start port) P711, 3 balls for the second start winning port (the second start port) P721, 3 balls for the left general winning port P731L, 2 balls for the right general winning port P731R, and 15 balls for the big winning port (attacker) P751.

[0396] Also, the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment adopts the second special symbol priority digestion control. When there are holds for both the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the second special symbol is preferentially variably displayed. In the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment, only the second special symbol has the "small win" as the special symbol lottery result, but it is also possible to configure the first special symbol to have the "small win". As long as the game properties of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment are not lost, not limited to the second special symbol priority digestion control, as a modification, the first special symbol priority digestion control may be applied, or the ball entry order digestion control that preferentially digests from the ball that entered first may be applied.

[0397] The pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment adopts the game property (specification) called "small win V" described as the prior art. In addition to the case of getting a "big win" in the special symbol lottery, when getting a "small win" in the special symbol lottery and a game ball passes through a specific area P760 inside the big winning port P751 during the subsequent small win game, the accessory continuous operation device operates and the big win game is executed. In this embodiment, for the case of developing from a small win game to a big win game, a series of special game states from the start of the small win game to the end of the big win game are referred to as "small win V" or "small win developed big win".

[0398] In the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment, the types of jackpot (including minor jackpot V) in the special gaming state are provided with a 3-round jackpot (jackpot of the first special symbol) and a 10-round jackpot (jackpot or minor jackpot V of the second special symbol). Also, for a specific game which is an advantageous normal gaming state, the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment does not have a probability variation function, and executes a specific game (high base state) by activating an electric chute support function (electric support) after various jackpots (including minor jackpot V).

[0399] Also, in the detailed control example described later, the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment refers to a special variation pattern table (limited frequency pattern table) at a predetermined timing during the period of a specific game and / or during the period when a maximum of 4 remaining variable displays after the end of the specific game are made, and is configured such that a variation pattern for securing a variable display time of a special symbol as required is selected. However, the timing for referring to the special variation pattern table separately counts and stores the number of variable displays of the first special symbol and the number of variable displays of the second special symbol after the end of the execution of the special game, and when the stored information of the number of variations stored corresponding to each of them is a specific value at the start of the variation of the first special symbol or the second special symbol, it is possible to refer to the special variation pattern table for the first special symbol or the special variation pattern table for the second special symbol.

[0400] (Game flow) Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 21, the game flow of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment will be described. The game flow shown in FIG. 21 is a flow assuming the case where a game (normal game) is executed as intended by the player. Note that the game flow when a game (abnormal game, irregular game) ignoring the player's design intention is executed may not fit the situation shown in FIG. 21, and the description of the abnormal game will be omitted.

[0401] First, in the "Normal Game (Low Probability / Low Base State)" of FIG. 21, the player plays the game with a firing intensity that allows the game ball to enter the first start winning opening P711 (the so-called "left shot" that fires the game ball toward the left area P501L). When the game ball wins in the first start winning opening, a special symbol lottery based on the first special symbol (Special Symbol 1) is conducted. When the special symbol lottery result is a big win, the "Big Win (Special Symbol 1)" is executed (FIG. 21(A)). Note that the state surrounded by the double lines in the figure represents the special game state (big win game, small win game).

[0402] When the "Big Win (Special Symbol 1)" ends, the game state transitions to a specific game state (high base state) (FIG. 21(B)). The specific game state after the "Big Win (Special Symbol 1)" is "Breakthrough Zone_Low Probability / High Base (Special Symbol 2: 1 time) + Maximum 4 remaining holds" (details will be described later). The high base state (the operating state of the electric chaser support function) continues until the variation of the second special symbol (Special Symbol 2) is performed once and stops displaying.

[0403] When transitioning to the "Breakthrough Zone", the player plays the game with the so-called "right shot" aiming at the second start winning opening P721 arranged in the right area P501R of the game area P501. Since the "Breakthrough Zone" is in the high base state, the movable body P771 of the normal electric accessory P770 provided in the second start winning opening P721 is likely to be in a state where the game ball can easily enter. By firing the game ball into the right area P501R, the entry (passage) of the game ball into the general symbol operation opening P741 occurs, a general symbol lottery is conducted, the normal electric accessory P770 operates, and a special symbol lottery based on the second special symbol (Special Symbol 2) is conducted by the entry of the game ball into the second start winning opening P721.

[0404] In the "Breakthrough Zone", since the high-base state continues until one variation display of the second special symbol ends, one lottery result that triggers a small win V, which is the lottery result that serves as the trigger for a small win V, can be obtained for each time during the high-base state and for the maximum number of holdovers of the second special symbol (in this embodiment, 4). Here, in the "Breakthrough Zone", through the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol (up to 5 times), a big win or a small win is achieved, and the probability that the player will obtain "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)" (Figure 21(C)) is set to approximately 45%. In the "Breakthrough Zone", if the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol does not result in a win (big win or small win), the game transitions to "Normal Game (Low Probability / Low Base)" (Figure 21(D)).

[0405] When "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)" ends, the game transitions to one of the specific game states of "Battle Mode - Low Probability / High Base (Special Figure 2: 6 times) + Maximum 4 remaining holdovers" or "Pseudo Big Win - Low Probability / High Base (Special Figure 2: 95 times) + Maximum 4 remaining holdovers" (Figure 21(E), (H)).

[0406] Here, which of "Battle Mode" and "Pseudo Big Win" the game transitions to after "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)" is a factor in creating the gameplay of the pachinko machine P in this embodiment. The pachinko machine P in this embodiment determines which of "Battle Mode" and "Pseudo Big Win" to transition to based not on the special symbol (stopped display symbol) that triggered the execution of "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)", but on the game state when the win variation of the special symbol that triggered the execution of "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)" starts.

[0407] Specifically, when it is controlled to be in the "Breakthrough Zone", "Battle Mode", or "Pseudo Jackpot", and in the high-base state where the electric chewing support function is activated, when the variation display starts and a special symbol variation that triggers a "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)" occurs, after the "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)" ends, it transitions to the "Battle Mode" (Figure 21(E)), and after the "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)" triggered by the winning variation of the second special symbol corresponding to the remaining hold (the hold related to the second special symbol) that starts to vary in the low-base state where the electric chewing support function is not activated, it is controlled to transition to the "Pseudo Jackpot" (Figure 21(H)).

[0408] "Battle Mode - Low Probability / High Base (Special Figure 2: 6 times) + Maximum 4 remaining holds" (details will be described later) is a specific game in which the high-base state (the operating state of the electric chewing support function) continues until the variation of the second special symbol (Special Figure 2) is performed 6 times and then stops displaying. The player aims to obtain a "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)" before the second special symbol is variably displayed up to a maximum of 10 times (6 times in the high-base state + up to 4 times for the remaining holds) by shooting the game ball into the right area P501R in the same way as in the "Breakthrough Zone" (Figure 21(F)). If the second special symbol does not result in a small win V or a jackpot after being variably displayed up to a maximum of 10 times, it transitions to the "Normal Game (Low Probability / Low Base)" (Figure 21(G)).

[0409] "Pseudo big win - low probability / high base (Special Figure 2: 95 times) + maximum 4 remaining holds" (details will be described later) is a specific game in which the high base state (the operating state of the electric chewing support function) continues until the variation of the second special symbol (Special Figure 2) is performed 95 times and stops displaying. The player aims to obtain "Small win V / Big win (Special Figure 2)" before the second special symbol is variably displayed up to a maximum of 99 times (95 times in the high base state + up to 4 times for the remaining holds) by launching the game ball into the right area P501R in the same way as in the "Breakthrough zone" and "Battle mode" (Fig. 21(I)). In the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment, since the probability of getting a "Small win" is set to 1 / 9.1 in the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol, it can be said that it is substantially certain that a Small win V or Big win will be obtained before the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol is performed 95 times, which is more than 10 times this small win probability. However, if the special symbol lottery result does not become a "Small win" or "Big win" even when the second special symbol is variably displayed 94 times during the "Pseudo big win", the game shifts to the production mode of the "Battle mode" (Fig. 21(J)). And the 95th variation of the "Pseudo big win" is the same as the 6th variation in the "Battle mode". If it does not become a "Big win" or "Small win" in the 95th variation display and the variation display of up to 4 remaining holds related to the second special symbol, it shifts to the "Normal game (low probability / low base)" (Fig. 21(G)). As a modification, the timing of shifting to the production mode of the "Battle mode" may be set to an earlier timing. For example, it may be the timing when the variation display of the second special symbol is performed 89 times during the "Pseudo big win", that is, the timing when the same number of times as 6 times, which is the number of continuous times of the high base state in the "Battle mode", remains.

[0410] In the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment, during the periods controlled to the specific games of "Breakthrough Zone", "Battle Mode", and "Pseudo Jackpot", in addition to the end conditions based on the number of times of the variable display of the second special symbol as the respective end conditions, it may be configured to end when the first special symbol is varied 5 times. The 95 times which is the end condition of the specific game based on the number of times of the variation of the second special symbol in "Pseudo Jackpot" is set so as not to exceed the number of times of the variation of the special symbol 100 times which is the maximum continuous period of the electric chu support function in the current rules without satisfying any of the specific game end conditions of the variable display of the first special symbol and the variable display of the second special symbol. For example, if the end condition of the specific game based on the number of times of the variation of the first special symbol is set to 3 times, etc., the period of "Pseudo Jackpot" can be set until the variation of the second special symbol (Special Figure 2) is performed 97 times and stopped and displayed.

[0411] The pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment having the game flow as described above aims to obtain a small win V (or a jackpot) based on a "small win" which wins with a high probability in the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol in "Breakthrough Zone", "Battle Mode", and "Pseudo Jackpot", and to obtain a large amount of game balls by looping "Battle Mode" or "Pseudo Jackpot" and "small win V / jackpot (Special Figure 2)". In particular, by obtaining a "small win" or a "jackpot" in the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol after the digestion of the maximum 4 remaining holds generated in the specific games of "Breakthrough Zone" and "Battle Mode", that is, after the end of the high base state, it is shifted to "Pseudo Jackpot" which is a specific game in which the next small win V (or jackpot) is substantially determined, and since it is possible to further obtain the game balls for one small win V (or jackpot), as the player's feeling, depending on the acquisition timing of the small win V (jackpot) during the execution of "Battle Mode", a gameplay can be provided in which the game balls for one small win V (jackpot) or the game balls for two small win V (jackpots) are different.

[0412] In the game flow (FIG. 21) of the pachinko gaming machine P of the above-described embodiment, the number of times of variable display of the second special symbol is set to 1, 6, and 94 respectively as the main end conditions in the "Breakthrough Zone", "Battle Mode", and "Pseudo Big Hit". However, from the balance with the interest and playability (specifications) on the production side, the number of times of variable display of the second special symbol, which is the end condition of the high base state in the "Breakthrough Zone" and "Battle Mode", can be set to, for example, 4 times, the same as the number of holds, or appropriately adjusted to 10 times in order to increase the probability of looping "Battle Mode" or "Pseudo Big Hit" and "Small Hit V / Big Hit (Special Figure 2)" (note that the "Small Hit" probability in the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol and the number of rounds of the special game executed in "Small Hit V / Big Hit (Special Figure 2)" are also appropriately adjusted).

[0413] In such a modification, if the number of times of variable display of the second special symbol, which is the end condition of the high base state, is less than the maximum number of holds related to the second special symbol, it is possible to perform an effect that emphasizes winning in a lower base state. If the number of times of variable display of the second special symbol, which is the end condition of the high base state, is the same as the maximum number of holds related to the second special symbol, for example, it is possible to show a way that the chance of "Small Hit V / Big Hit (Special Figure 2)" visits twice. Also, if the number of times of variable display of the second special symbol, which is the end condition of the high base state, is more than the maximum number of holds related to the second special symbol, it is possible to provide an interesting effect and gameplay that allows the player to enjoy the game with the expectation of winning "Small Hit V / Big Hit (Special Figure 2)" many times in the high base state.

[0414] (Breakthrough Zone) Next, with reference to FIGS. 22 to 24, the game control and production content in the "Breakthrough Zone" will be described.

[0415] The "Breakthrough Zone" is an effect mode corresponding to a period in which the second special symbol is variably displayed once in the high base state and the second special symbol is variably displayed corresponding to a maximum of 4 holds of the second special symbol generated during the high base state.

[0416] In the "Normal Game (Low Probability / Low Base)" (see Fig. 21), when a "Big Win" occurs in the special symbol lottery of the first special symbol and the "Big Win (Special Figure 1)" is executed, a "Breakthrough Zone" is started after the "Big Win (Special Figure 1)".

[0417] After the "Breakthrough Zone" is started, when the first variable display of the second special symbol is performed, the production display of the "Hold Charge Effect" shown in Fig. 22 is started. The first variable display of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone" is configured such that in the variable pattern lottery of the main control board P40, a special variable pattern table (variable pattern table for the first variation in the breakthrough zone) is referenced to select a variable pattern for a relatively long time of about 60 seconds, and the "Hold Charge Effect" is executed until about 30 seconds from the start of the variation.

[0418] The "Hold Charge Effect" is an effect that prompts the player to generate a hold of the second special symbol and display a hold object P811 in the hold display area 810 during the production display period of the "Hold Charge Effect". The "Hold Charge Effect" is configured such that each time the hold object P811 is displayed (or each time a game ball enters the second start winning opening P721), the characters displayed on the screen and the effects (effects) displayed around the characters change to improve the player's expectation for a win, and the production effect can also prompt the player to increase the hold of the second special symbol by hitting the right side.

[0419] When the "Hold Charge Effect" ends in the first variable display of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone", during the first variable display of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone" that continues, an effect (in this embodiment, the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Effect", see Fig. 23) that reports the result of the win / loss lottery of the first variable display of the second special symbol and the prior determination information related to the hold of the second special symbol that occurred during the execution of the "Hold Charge Effect" to determine whether the "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)" can be obtained in the "Breakthrough Zone" is performed.

[0420] The "Breakthrough Zone Battle Presentation" is a presentation that collectively notifies the lottery results (including pre-judgment information) for up to 5 fluctuations in the "Breakthrough Zone". Regarding the hold of the second special symbol that occurred in the high base state (especially during the execution of the "Pending Charge Presentation"), no additional presentation-based notification related to the win / loss lottery results is made other than the variable display on Simplified Illustration P802. Also, regarding the remaining holds of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone" (the holds of the second special symbol that are cleared after transitioning to the low base state), the main control board P40 refers to the special variable pattern table (Special Illustration 2 Remaining Hold Clearance Variable Pattern Table, or Special Illustration 2 Variable Pattern Table in the Low Base State), and is configured to select a short variable pattern of about 1 second. Note that a presentation-based variable display that notifies all win / loss lottery results, including the lottery results of the current variable display and the pre-judgment information of one or more holds for which the start of variation will occur after the next time, like the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Presentation", may be referred to as "Consolidated Variation".

[0421] If a winning variation that triggers a minor win V (major win) is executed during the 5 fluctuations in the "Breakthrough Zone", in the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Presentation", a "Breakthrough Zone Battle Victory Presentation" as shown in Figure 24 is displayed. The "Breakthrough Zone Battle Victory Presentation" is displayed even if the first variable display of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone" is a "miss", as long as there is a "win" among the remaining holds. In the example of Figure 24, since the number of holds of the second special symbol in the Simplified Hold Display P814 is 1, it indicates that the hold that started the variation when there were 2 remaining holds of the second special symbol was a winning variation. When the result of the special symbol lottery is a "minor win", the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Victory Presentation" displays a "V" symbol that is not configured to match the Simplified Illustration P802 display and is not displayed as a normal decorative symbol. Instead, it is displayed as a normal decorative symbol to notify the player that they have obtained the right to execute a minor win V when a game ball enters the specific area P760 within the big winning opening P751 for the first time during the minor win game. Also, although not shown in the illustration, if no winning variation is executed during the 5 fluctuations in the "Breakthrough Zone", a "Breakthrough Zone Battle Defeat Presentation" is executed.

[0422] Incidentally, when the first variable display of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone" ends, the gaming state will shift from the high base state to the low base state. As for the timing of the shift from the high base state to the low base state, it is the timing when the variable display time of the second special symbol has elapsed. In order to delay the variable display timing of the second special symbol for the first reserved item that has occurred as a remaining reservation, after switching from the high base state to the low base state, a waiting time of a certain period (in the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment, it is the symbol fixing time of the special symbol) is set. Even if the normal electric accessory P770 of the second start winning opening P721 operates just before the end of the first variable display of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone", it is configured to end the operation of the normal electric accessory P770 during the waiting period (the same applies to the final variation of the high base state in the "Pseudo Jackpot" and "Battle Mode" described later). Therefore, even when the digestion of the remaining reservations starts and a situation where further reservations for the second special symbol are possible occurs, the possibility of the normal electric accessory P770 of the second start winning opening P721 operating is almost non-existent, similar to normal gaming (low probability / low base). Incidentally, since the waiting time is set to be a relatively long time of about 6 seconds, the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Effect", "Breakthrough Zone Battle Victory Effect", and "Breakthrough Zone Battle Defeat Effect" are continuously executed even during the waiting period.

[0423] Also, although detailed explanations are omitted, when there is no winning lottery result and pre-judgment information during the execution of the "Reservation Charge Effect", and a winning reservation occurs for the reservation related to the second special symbol that occurred after the "Reservation Charge Effect" ended, since it is difficult to replace the content of the effect from the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Defeat Effect", an alternative effect different from the "Breakthrough Zone Battle Victory Effect" is performed, so that the player is notified of obtaining the right to a small win V (jackpot).

[0424] In addition, in the "Breakthrough Zone", the effect display of the effect display device P80 related to the variable display of the first special sym...

Claims

【Claim 1】 A start winning opening into which a game ball can be entered, A big winning opening that can take an open state and a closed state, Judgment means for performing a winning or losing judgment triggered by the entry of a game ball into the start opening, A symbol display device in which a special symbol indicating the result of the winning or losing judgment is variably displayed and stopped, Special game execution means capable of executing a special game involving the opening of the big winning opening when the result of the winning or losing judgment is a winning, Comprising, As a display of symbols that dramatically shows the result of the winning or losing judgment, it is configured to be able to display the variable display and stop display of the first symbol and the variable display and stop display of the second symbol, The display position of the first symbol can be different depending on whether the current production format is the first production format or the second production format, while the display position of the second symbol is the same whether the current production format is the first production format or the second production format, The first symbol can be displayed including a predetermined element and a specific element, while the second symbol is configured to be displayed including a predetermined element and not including a specific element, It is possible to execute production displays according to the type of production format, and in the second production format, it is possible to execute production displays according to the second production format, In the second production format, when a development production is executed after the start of the variable display of the special symbol, it is configured to be able to execute a production display according to the development production instead of the production display according to the second production format during the execution of the development production, In the second production format, when a development production is executed after the start of the variable display of the special symbol, and a predetermined production is executed after the execution of the development production to end the development production, it is possible to end the production display according to the development production during the variable display of the special symbol for which the development production was executed and to execute the production display according to the second production format again. However, even in a predetermined situation where the production display according to the second production format is being executed again during the variable display of the special symbol for which the development production was executed, a predetermined BGM is not output, and in a specific situation where the variable display of the special symbol for which the development production was executed ends and the variable display of the next special symbol starts, a predetermined BGM is configured to be output from the beginning, Among the plurality of types of first symbols variably displayed in a specific symbol row among the plurality of symbol rows, a specific type of first symbol is configured such that the degree of expectation of changing to a predetermined aspect is relatively lower than that of other symbols, The change to the predetermined display mode in the first symbol means the change in the display mode caused by the first symbol performing a predetermined operation during the temporary stop display of the first symbol. The variable display of the second symbol is a variable display that switches and displays multiple types of switching modes in a predetermined order. As the multiple types of switching modes, there are a first mode which is the first switching mode in the predetermined order, a middle mode which is the switching mode in the middle of the predetermined order, and a last mode which is the last switching mode in the predetermined order. Triggered by the start of the variation of the special symbol, the second symbol is switched and displayed to the first mode, then switched and displayed to the middle mode, then switched and displayed to the last mode, and then repeatedly switched and displayed to the same first mode, so that the switching display in the predetermined order can be repeatedly executed. A pachinko gaming machine characterized by the above.

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