Pachinko machine

Abstract

To provide a Pachinko game machine capable of enhancing game amusement.SOLUTION: In a situation where a simple symbol is stopped and displayed in a particular mode and a special symbol is also stopped and displayed in a specific mode during a high base state and a base state is shifted to the high base state again after the execution of a special game executed by stopping and displaying the specific mode is completed, if variation display of the special symbol is newly performed during the high base state where the shift occurs again, a performance symbol can be variably displayed while the simple symbol maintains the stop display of the particular mode in the high base state in which the shift occurs again. In addition, in a situation where the high base state in which the shift occurs again is shifted to a low base state, the simple symbol maintains the stop display of the particular mode in the low base state, and the performance symbol is stopped and displayed in a mode different from the particular mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 99

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Regarding pachinko gaming machines. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional pachinko machines, a special game is played when the winning / losing lottery result is a jackpot, and a large number of prize balls are won by putting a game ball into the big prize slot during the special game. In addition, after the special game ends, the machine transitions to a high base state, which is a time-saving state, and the high base state is continued until a predetermined number of winning / losing lotteries are performed, improving the ease of winning the special game. In addition, the high base state is played for multiple periods (the number of winning / losing lotteries that the high base state can continue), improving the playability of the high base state (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-296598 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since there are already many conventional pachinko gaming machines that use this type of configuration, further improvements in the entertainment value of the game are required to differentiate the new machine from the conventional models.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a pachinko gaming machine that can increase the entertainment value of the game. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The pachinko gaming machine according to this aspect is A starting hole through which the game ball can enter; A large winning hole into which game balls can enter, A special symbol display device capable of executing variable display and stop display of special symbols upon entry of a game ball into the start port, special game execution means capable of executing a special game advantageous to the player after the special symbol stops and is displayed in a specific manner in the special symbol display device, a performance display device capable of displaying a performance display, and comprising In the special game, it is possible to execute a unit game in which the big winning port is in an open state, In the performance display device, it is possible to execute variable display and stop display of a decorative symbol, configured to be capable of executing a suppression notification effect for notifying that a suppression function for stopping the progress of the game is activated by satisfying a first condition regarding the player's profit acquisition situation, configured to be capable of executing a prior notification effect for notifying that the suppression function is approaching an activated state by satisfying a second condition regarding the player's profit acquisition situation, In a predetermined situation where the special symbol is in variable display, the decorative symbol is configured to be capable of executing a predetermined operation, Even if the second condition is satisfied during the execution of the predetermined operation in the decorative symbol, the predetermined operation can be continuously executed without being forcibly terminated, while if the first condition is satisfied during the execution of the predetermined operation in the decorative symbol, the predetermined operation is configured to be forcibly terminated. and The first condition is that the difference between the number of game values used and the number of game values granted reaches a first specified value, and the second condition is that the difference between the number of game values used and the number of game values granted reaches a second specified value different from the first specified value. During the execution of a special game, when the cumulative value of the number of game values granted to the player reaches a specific value upon a game ball entering the big winning opening, it is configured to be able to display a specific value corresponding display indicating that the cumulative value of the number of game values has reached the specific value. There are multiple types of specific values, and at least one of the multiple types of specific values is set to a numerical value that does not exceed the difference between the first specified value and the second specified value. During the execution of a special game, in a situation where after the difference between the number of game values used and the number of game values granted reaches the first specified value when one game ball enters the big winning opening, and then when one more game ball enters the big winning opening and the cumulative value of the number of game values granted to the player reaches a specific value, if a power failure occurs and then power is turned on without a RAM clear operation and the power failure is restored, even if one game ball enters the big winning opening, the specific value corresponding display is not displayed. On the other hand, it is configured to be able to execute a suppression notification effect at a predetermined timing. It is provided with a variable member that changes between an open state where a game ball can enter and a closed state where it is more difficult for a game ball to enter than the open state. It has a normal ball entry state and a ball entry easy state where the ease of a game ball entering the variable member is enhanced compared to the normal ball entry state, and is configured to be able to execute the setting of the normal ball entry state or the setting of the ball entry easy state. When the variable member changes from the closed state to the open state in the ball entry easy state, it is configured to be able to maintain the open state for a specific period. When the difference between the number of game values used and the number of game values granted reaches the first specified value in a situation where it is in the ball entry easy state and the variable member is in the open state, even before the specific period elapses, the variable member is configured to be forcibly changed from the open state to the closed state. This is a pachinko gaming machine characterized by the above. <Supplementary Note> In addition, other aspects of the present invention are listed below, but these can be implemented without any limitation. The gaming machine according to this other aspect is A start winning opening into which a game ball can enter, A big winning opening that can be in an open state or a closed state, A variable member that can be in an open state or a closed state, A special symbol display unit capable of displaying special symbols, A normal symbol display unit capable of displaying normal symbols, A main game unit that controls the progress of the game, An effect display unit capable of displaying effects, A sub-game unit that controls the effect display on the effect display unit is provided, Based on the entry of a game ball into the start winning opening, it is configured to be able to acquire a random number, When a random number is acquired, it is configured to be able to store the random number as being on hold, Based on the random number on hold, a winning or losing lottery is executed, and based on the result of the winning or losing lottery, a variation pattern of the special symbol can be determined, Based on the determined variation pattern of the special symbol, after the special symbol is variably displayed on the special symbol display unit, the special symbol can be stopped and displayed, After the result of the winning or losing lottery based on the random number is a win and the special symbol stops and is displayed in a specific mode, a special game that executes a plurality of unit games in which the big winning opening can be in an open state for a predetermined time can be executed, By causing the normal symbol to variably display on the normal symbol display unit and then stop and display in a predetermined mode, an auxiliary game that can put the variable member in an open state can be executed, As a game state regarding the ease of entry of a game ball into the variable member, it has a low base state and a high base state with higher ease of entry than the low base state, and is configured to be able to transition to the high base state by satisfying a predetermined transition condition, As an effect symbol that suggests or notifies whether the special symbol stops and is displayed in a specific mode, or whether the normal symbol stops and is displayed in a predetermined mode, it is configured to be able to display an effect symbol and a simple symbol, During the low base state, it is configured to be able to display an effect symbol so as to suggest or notify whether the special symbol stops and is displayed in a specific mode, In the high-base state, the production symbol is configured to be displayable so as to suggest or notify whether or not the normal symbol stops displaying in a predetermined mode. In the high-base state, the simple symbol is configured to be able to suggest or notify that the special symbol stops displaying in a specific mode by stopping and displaying in a special mode. In the high-base state, the simple symbol stops and displays in a special mode and the special symbol also stops and displays in a specific mode. In the situation where the high-base state is shifted back again after the execution of the special game executed by the stop display of the specific mode, when the special symbol does not newly change and display in the high-base state to be shifted back again, the simple symbol is configured to be able to variably display the production symbol while maintaining the stop display of the special mode in the high-base state to be shifted back again. Further, in the situation where the high-base state is shifted to the low-base state from the high-base state to be shifted back again, the simple symbol maintains the stop display of the special mode in the low-base state and the production symbol is configured to stop and display in a mode different from the special mode. A pachinko gaming machine characterized by the above.

[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 a method, an apparatus, a system, a computer program, a recording medium storing the computer program, a data structure, 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.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the pachinko gaming machine according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the interest of the game.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] (Prior Art) The following describes the pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as "prior art") on which the present invention is premised, 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 on 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 explanation.

[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 with an outer rectangular shape, and a front frame P2 configured in a square shape with a size matching the opening of the outer frame P1 is detachably attached to the opening front surface of the outer frame P1 fixed in the gaming facility by upper and lower hinge mechanisms (upper hinge portion 10, lower hinge portion 20) disposed at the front left edge portions of each other, enabling horizontal opening / closing and detachment.

[0012] The game board P5 and the glass frame P3 are detachably set on the front frame P2. The glass frame P3 is square-shaped and is horizontally openable / closable and detachably assembled and held on the front side of the front frame P2 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. Also, the front frame P2 and the glass frame P3 are locked and unlocked as follows: A key is inserted into the keyhole of the locking portion P30 provided at the front right edge of the pachinko gaming machine P and rotated in either the left or right direction. Depending on the rotation direction, the locking between the outer frame P1 and the front frame P2 is released, or the locking between the front frame P2 and the glass frame P3 is released. As a specific 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, in the glass frame P3, there are provided 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. In 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 the present pachinko game machine shown as a prior art includes a push-in input type button P381 and a tilt operation type lever P382. While the button P381 can always be operated by the player, the lever P382 is one of the movable objects (frame movable accessory P360) provided in the glass frame, and when the operation means itself is displaced to a state where it protrudes upward (input permission state), operation input becomes possible (a plurality of operations can be performed with one effect operation means).

[0014] At the lower right part of the front frame P2, a handle P204 for performing a 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 provided a ball feeding mechanism P241 for sending 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) for hitting the game balls sent out from this ball feeding mechanism toward the game area P501, a launch control board P243 for synchronously controlling the operations of the ball feeding mechanism P241 and the launch device P242, and so on.

[0015] The game board P5 (game board unit) is configured based on a base material formed in a rectangular flat plate shape using a 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 viewed from the front side, and FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the game board unit P5. FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which an 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 decoration 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 decoration 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 launching device unit P240 into the game area P501.

[0016] In the gaming area P501, together with a number of gaming pins P510 and windmills P511 (not shown), there are various ball entry devices such as a first start winning opening P711 (first start opening), a second start winning opening P721 (second start opening), a general winning opening P731, a normal pattern operation opening P741 (normal pattern operation gate device), a 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. Also, in this specification, in terms of the configuration of the ball entry device, for those where the game ball is discharged after entering the ball entry device and those where the game ball further flows down the gaming area P501 after entering the ball entry device (gate type), the detection of the game ball 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, main control display devices P50 that are lighting-controlled by the main control board described later, such as a first special symbol display device P51, a second special symbol display device P52, and a normal symbol display device P53, are intensively arranged. In the approximate center of the gaming area P501, a center accessory P540 is 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, etc., 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, an out port P790 through which game balls that have flowed down without entering the winning openings of various ball entry devices can pass is provided. Game balls that have entered the winning openings of various winning devices or game balls that have flowed into the out port P790 flow down to the back 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 at the timing 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 at the timing 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) by 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 since there are various modes known for 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, there are cases where the "open state" and "closed state" are respectively denoted as the "easy entry state (easy entry mode)" and the "difficult entry state (difficult entry mode)".

[0020] The general winning device P730 includes a left general winning device P730L disposed in the left hitting area P501L and a right general winning device P730R disposed in the right hitting area P501R. In the pachinko game 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 a part of the big winning device P750 described later. The entry of the 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 game machine are merely examples, and it may be configured to be disposed only in the right hitting area P501R, etc.

[0021] The normal pattern operation gate device P740 (normal pattern operation opening) is provided as a start ball entry opening corresponding to the normal pattern game. This normal pattern operation gate device P740 is provided with an operation gate P741 through which the game ball can pass, and the entered game ball is configured to be able to flow further downstream in the game area of the game board. The passage of the game ball through the operation gate P741 serves as an opportunity for a normal pattern lottery to determine whether to open the second start 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 the function that serves as an opportunity for 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 deactivated). 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"). In addition, the name of the special game may be subdivided according to the number of round games executed. For example, for a special game in which the round game is executed 10 times, it is preferable to call it a 10-round big win, 10R big win, 10-round special game, 10R special game, etc. ("R" is the first letter "R" of "round" = "ROUND"). Furthermore, the name of the special game may be subdivided in association with the game state that transitions after the execution of the special game. For example, for a special game in which the round game is executed 10 times and the probability variation function is activated after the end of the special game, it is preferable to call it a 10-round probability variation big win, 10R probability variation big win, 10-round probability variation special game, 10R probability variation special game, etc. For a special game in which the round game is executed 3 times and the probability variation function does not activate after the end of the special game, it is preferable to call it a 3-round normal big win, 3R normal big win, 3-round normal special game, 3R normal special game, etc.

[0023] In addition, depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, the big winning device P750 may have a specific area P760 (referred to as the "V zone" or "V area", and may also be called the "probability variation function activation area", "continuous area", etc. depending on the function) through which the game balls can pass. As functions related to this "specific area", examples include: (a) activating a probability variation function (described later) after a big win game when a game ball passes through the specific area during the big win game; (b) activating an accessory continuous operation device (a flag for continuously operating special electric accessories) when a game ball passes through the specific area during a small win game, and granting the right to execute a big win game; (c) determining whether to execute the subsequent round definitely or not based on whether a game ball has passed through the specific area in a specific round during the big win game, etc. 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. By distributing 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 the big win game or the small win game, the period when the passage of the game ball through the specific area P760 is valid and the period when it is invalid may be provided.

[0024] Note that 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 the big win game or the small win game, when firing a game ball towards the gaming area P501, it is easy to get the game ball into the big winning opening P751 by performing so-called right hitting aiming at the right area P501R.

[0025] Next, 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 rear set unit P4 having a window that communicates front and back to attach the game board unit P5 in the center is attached. The rear set unit P4 is provided with a storage tank P401 for storing a large number of game balls supplied from the game facility side, a gutter member P402 for allowing the game balls from the storage tank P401 to flow down, a prize ball payout unit P410 for paying out the game balls guided by the gutter member, a rear 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 mounted 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 production control board P41 (also referred to as the sub-game unit) that controls all aspects of production according to 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 image display according to the game layout, and so on. In the pachinko machine P of this prior art, the production control board P41 and the image control board P42 constitute a production display unit in an assembled state integrated with a production display device P80 (also referred to as a liquid crystal display device and a production display unit). On the other hand, on the back side of the back set unit P4, there are mounted 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 arranged 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 sealing tape 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 production in the pachinko machine P are configured to be possible.

[0027] [Functional Block] FIG. 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 production control board P41 that controls production operations and processes. The arrows shown in the figure indicate the relationship of transmission and reception for each function by solid arrows for the upper relationship, and the relationship of electrical connection by dashed arrows.

[0029] The power supply board P44 generates and supplies the power necessary for operation to the main control board P40, the effect control board P41, the payout control board P43, 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 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 operating port P741 (normal drawing operating 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, and other detection switches related to various game progressions, as well as the setting key switch P49, the vibration detection sensor P72, the magnet sensor P73, and other switches and sensors used for management and fraud monitoring of various games. The main control board obtains input of information related to the occurrence of various game states from these switches, determines the control content related to game progress, and is composed of solenoids, etc., and is driven to expand the big winning port P751 during a big win or a small win. It 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 and the like 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 the special electric accessory driving means P70, the normal electric accessory driving means P71, and the firing permission signal for the firing device P242, and control each device and device accordingly.

[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 prize balls to the total number of launches). Regarding the "base value", there are various other counting methods, such as data counted excluding winnings from the start winning opening P711, etc. In the case where it is necessary in the present invention, separate explanations will be given, 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 through an external information output terminal P77, a test terminal P78, etc., and transmits and receives various control signals with each of them. The main control board P40 is also 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. 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 bidirectional. 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 progress] Next, regarding the basic game progress and game method in the pachinko gaming machine P as the prior art configured as described above, an explanation will be given for each game state. 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 a plurality of 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 plurality of 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 game method and the progress of the game in the normal game state. Note that the normal game state described here is an explanation regarding the "normal game state (low probability / low base state)" (see Fig. 6) excluding the specific game state, and it generally explains the game state in the situation where a player starts the game. Regarding the game method, the progress of the game, and the meanings of the terms "low (high) probability" and "low (high) base" in the specific game state, they will be described later.

[0039] In the normal game state (low probability / low base state), as a game method, first, the player operates the handle P204 to shoot the game ball toward the game area P501 provided on the game board P5. In the assumed pachinko machine P, in the normal game state (low probability / low base state), the player operates the handle P204 so that the game ball is shot toward the left area P501L (left shooting area) of the game area to play the game.

[0040] When the game ball is shot by the player into the left area P501L of the game area, the shot game ball flows down through the game area P501, and while its flowing direction is displaced by 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 game area P501 of the game board called "bottom" or the general winning opening P731L of the left general winning device (winning), or if it does not enter any of the winning openings, it 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 cause the payout control board P43 to pay out the number of prize balls determined for each winning opening, and the player obtains new game balls by the payout of the prize balls.

[0041] Here, a start port switch P712 of the first figure is arranged inside the first start winning port P711. As a gaming state (gaming result) that can occur when a player fires a game ball into the left area P501L in the gaming area, when a game ball enters the first start winning port P711, gaming ball detection information of the start port switch P712 of the first 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 of the first figure, in addition to paying out a predetermined number of game 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 game ball, and 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 through 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 appropriately according to the random number value to be acquired, or to use them in combination. When a game ball enters the general winning port, a random number related to the special symbol is not acquired, and only the payout of the prize ball 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 "Winning / Losing Lottery", the "Winning Symbol Lottery", and the "Variation Pattern Lottery". The "Winning / Losing 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 winning / losing 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 "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 winning / losing lottery on the special symbol display device P51 (P52), and it determines the time (referred to as the "variation display time", "variation pattern") when 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 "Winning / Losing Lottery", the "Winning Symbol Lottery", and the "Variation Pattern Lottery", which are respectively called the "winning / losing 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 performed based on detecting the game balls of the special figure 2 start port switch P722 is also the same "Special Symbol Lottery". Also, the explanation of 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, makes the game ball enter the first start winning port P711, executes the lottery related to the first special symbol (special symbol lottery), and by displaying the stop display symbol of the special symbol indicating a "big win" ("small win") on the special symbol display device, a game aiming to obtain the right to execute a special game is carried out.

[0045] In addition, in the process where a player undergoes a special symbol lottery, although it has been described above that the variable display of the special symbol is performed 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 openings (the first activated winning opening P711 and the second activated winning opening P721), it has a holding function that temporarily stores 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 the special symbol lottery up to 4 times. Note that the holding function can be set for each special symbol, and 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 the special symbol lottery for the second special symbol up to 4 times.

[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 "big win" or "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 operation 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 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 gaming machine P of the prior art is, along the time series, an effect period called "special game start demo" (in the case of big wins, it is called "big win start demo", "consecutive accessory operation start demo", etc., and in the case of small wins, it is called "small win start demo") to inform the player that various special games have been obtained, an operation period of one special electric accessory P755 called "round (game)" (also called "unit game"), and a period called "special game end demo" (in the case of big wins, it is called "big win end demo", "consecutive accessory operation end demo", etc., and in the case of small wins, it is called "small win end demo") mainly for informing the game results (such as the number of game balls obtained) during the special game and the type of the normal gaming state (including the specific gaming 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, speakers (lower speaker P141, upper speaker P370), and effect lamps P82. The player adjusts the operation amount of the handle P204 according to the right hitting notification effect to increase the launch intensity of the game ball 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 winning a big jackpot (small jackpot) 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 jackpot (small jackpot) 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 jackpot, small jackpot), 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, there are effects that notify the number of game balls acquired during the period of the current special game state, or the cumulative number of acquired game balls acquired during a plurality of special game states continuously performed following the specific game period described later (acquired without transitioning to the normal game state (low probability / low base state)). There are also effects such as notifying the type of the normal game state that transitions after the special game state and notifying the gaming method in the transition destination game state (such as the right hitting notification effect described above). The player operates the handle in preparation for the game according to the type of the normal game state of the transition destination based on the executed effects.

[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".

[0054] [Specific Game State] Subsequently, an explanation of 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 their 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 a state 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 activated and the probability of the winning or losing lottery in the special symbol lottery being a "big win" is higher than when it is not activated, it is expressed as a "high probability (state)" (which may also be expressed as "probability change state" or "probability variation state"). When the probability variation function is not activated, it is expressed as a "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 achieving 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 number of game balls obtained as bonus 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 a "high base (state)" (also referred to as an "electric chaser support (electric support) state"). Depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, even if the "electric chaser support function" is not activated, if the ratio of the number of game balls obtained as bonus 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 a "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 bonus balls increases (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 in which 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 in which the probability of activating the ordinary electric accessory in the "Normal Symbol Lottery" is high. "Normal Symbol Time Shortening" refers to a state in which 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) in 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 the game balls can easily enter the winning openings related to it in a manner that is easy for the game balls to enter 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 the game 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 the game balls into the general-purpose operation gate device P740. However, they are almost the same in terms of determining the success or failure, symbols, and variation patterns by lottery and having a hold function. When specifically expressing the lottery for the success or failure, symbols, and variation patterns related to the Normal Symbol Lottery, it is expressed with "Normal Symbol" (or "Ordinary Symbol") at the beginning, such as "Normal Symbol Success or Failure Lottery", "Normal Symbol Pattern Lottery", and "Normal Symbol Variation Pattern Lottery".

[0059] As elements for distinguishing the types of "specific game states", "probability state" and "base state" 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 more special symbol lotteries can be received 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 a 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 game method of the game in the specific game state 1 (low probability / high base state) shown in FIG. 6 will be given.

[0061] The transition to the 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 game transitions from the specific game state 1 to the 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 game transitions 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 the 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 the specific gaming state 1 (low probability / high base state), in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, both the "electric chewing support function" and the "variation time shortening function" described above are in an operative state. In the arrangement configuration of each winning device on the game board P5 of the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, a normal pattern operation gate device P740 and a second start winning port 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" of firing a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the gaming area. Further, the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration is also controlled to be in 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 first fires a game ball into the right area P501R (right hitting area) of the gaming area 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) has a high probability (about 1 / 1) of winning 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 pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the second start winning port P721, which is the trigger for the special symbol lottery related to the second special symbol, becomes in an easy-to-enter state, and the player then fires a game ball towards the second start winning port P721 as the subsequent second step. When a game ball enters the second start winning port 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 are cases 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 game method 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 are also cases 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 (iii) the elapse of a predetermined number of game rounds.

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

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

[0069] [Specific Game State 3: High Probability / Low Base State] Subsequently, an explanation regarding the progress of the game and the method of the game in the specific game 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 game transitions 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 the end of the special game state are satisfied, the game transitions 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 type of jackpot game 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 chute support function" and the "variation time shortening function" are in an inactivated state. In the arrangement configuration of each winning device on the game board P5 of the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, the general pattern operation gate device P740 and the second start winning port P721 related to the ordinary 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 symbol lottery is low, and there is no advantage 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 symbol lottery is high, so the game method and game progress are the same as 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 has elapsed, or when a new jackpot game is obtained (note that there is a case of transitioning back to this state after a jackpot game). Generally, the specific game state 3 does not end when a minor jackpot game is obtained. When the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state) ends due to the number of game times, it transitions to the normal game state (low probability / low base state).

[0074] Note that the specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state) is different from the panel layout configuration of FIG. 6 described as the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, and a third start winning port of a type that does not have the normal electric accessory P770 in the right area P501R (right hitting area) is arranged, and by activating the "time shortening state", 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 game states described above. 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 ("specs"), as an example of the type of gaming machine specifications related to the operation of the special symbol lottery probability variation function, it is possible to adopt "(until the next time) probability variation", "ST (probability variation with a limited number of times)", "V probability variation (also called "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 'OO 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 the next time) probability variation] First, an explanation will be given about "(until the next time) probability variation". Generally, among a plurality of specific gaming states provided in the pachinko gaming machine P, as the most advantageous gaming state among the aforementioned specific gaming states, it indicates the gaming machine specifications for "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 the next time) probability variation" is configured such that the specific gaming state 2 (high probability / high base state) continues until the right to the next big win game is obtained and does not end depending on the number of symbol variations, etc.

[0078] 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 where the'specific gaming state 3 (high probability / low base state) continues until the right to the next big win game is obtained', although it may sometimes be called "(until the next time) probability variation" in the sense that the probability variation function continues until the next big win, 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 chizu support function, it is expressed separately as "latent probability variation" because it is a probability variation until the next time when the electric chizu support function is not operating.

[0079] [ST (Limited Number of Probability Variations)] Next, the "ST (Limited Number of Probability Variations)" will be explained. "ST" is an abbreviation for "Special Time". Generally, it indicates the specifications of a pachinko machine that "performs a special symbol lottery a predetermined number of times (a symbol variation is executed a predetermined number of times) in a specific game state 2 (high probability / high base state), or continues until the right to a jackpot game is obtained."

[0080] Note that depending on the type of jackpot, there may be cases where it is controlled to a specific game state 1 (low probability / high base state) or a specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state). Also, similar to the "probability variation until the next time" described above, for cases where the game state is controlled to perform a special symbol lottery a predetermined number of times in a specific game state 3 (high probability / low base state) or until the right to a jackpot game is obtained, it is also possible to configure it to have a state called "latent probability variation (latent ST)".

[0081] Also, even in the case of "ST (Limited Number of Probability Variations)", if it is a game machine specification where the period during which the game state is controlled to ST is such that the symbol lottery is "performed until 10,000 times", etc., and a jackpot until the next time is substantially guaranteed in the high probability state, it may be expressed as "probability variation until the next time".

[0082] As described so far, "probability variation until the next time" and "ST (Limited Number of Probability Variations)" distinguish the "probability variation 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 probability variation (ball probability, attack round system)" to be explained below, there may be 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 Probability Variation] 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 passing through a "specific area P760" (which may also be referred to as a "V zone" or "V area") provided within the big winning opening P751 is detected under predetermined conditions (such as during the execution of a specific jackpot round), control is carried out to transition to a specific game state (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". When a game ball passes through the specific area P760, no prize balls are paid out based on this passing (prize balls are paid out when the game ball is detected by an internal detection switch within the big winning opening P751), but here it is referred to as "V winning" for the sake of convenience. Note that "V winning" may also be referred to as "V ball entry".

[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 previously described "Probability Variation until Next Time" 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 gaming machine P that adopts "V probability variation" as a gaming machine specification, when the player does not win the V prize during the jackpot game, the probability variation function does not operate after the jackpot game, and the game is controlled to the normal game state or the specific game state 1 (low probability / high base state). Also, whether the probability variation function operates after the jackpot game is switched between the case of winning the V prize and the case of not winning the V prize, and at the same time, the operation mode of the electric chu support function can also be changed. As an example, in the "V probability variation (V-loop)" machine, when the player wins the V prize, the probability variation function and the electric chu support function continue until the next jackpot is won. When the player does not win the V prize, the probability variation function does not operate, and the electric chu support function is also restricted until 100 special symbol lotteries are conducted.

[0086] [Small jackpot V] Next, a gaming machine specification called "Small jackpot V" (specification) that can provide a gaming state advantageous to the player regarding winning a jackpot without having a probability variation function will be described.

[0087] "Small jackpot V" is a gaming machine specification in which when the result of the special symbol lottery is a small jackpot and during the small jackpot game (when the special electric accessory is operating), if the ball passes through the "specific area P760" (which may be referred to as the "V zone", "V area", etc.) provided inside the big winning opening P751, the accessory continuous operation device is operated after the small jackpot game, that is, the jackpot game is started. In other words, it is a gaming machine specification in which by passing through the specific area P760 during the small jackpot, a jackpot game can be obtained without obtaining a result of a jackpot as the result of the special symbol lottery. Regarding the jackpot game obtained when the game ball passes through the specific area P760 during the small jackpot game, the small jackpot game is treated as the first round of the jackpot game.

[0088] "Small Hit V" is a specification that activates the accessory continuous operation device or the special electric accessory as a result of the special symbol lottery in the game playability of "one type (pachinko)", and activates the accessory continuous operation device when passing through the specific area P760 during the operation of the special electric accessory when the accessory continuous operation device is not operating (when the big winning opening P751 is open). Sometimes it is expressed as "One Type Small Hit V". On the other hand, since it has a game playability similar to that of the so-called "two types of pachinko" game machine specifications in conventional pachinko machines, it is sometimes expressed as "one type and two types hybrid machine", etc.

[0089] Generally, in pachinko machines that adopt "Small Hit V" as the game machine specification, they do not have a probability variation function (probability fluctuation function), and the degree of advantage is changed depending on the presence or absence of the electric charge support function. That is, when the electric charge support function is activated, the winning opening related to the normal electric accessory P770 that is easy to win is configured as the starting winning opening that is the trigger for the variation of the special symbol that is easy to win the small hit (for example, winning the small hit with a probability of 1 / 2). In this way, it is easy to win the small hit under the situation where the electric charge support function is activated, and it is possible to aim for the big hit with a V win during the small hit game. By doing so, instead of increasing the random number value range for the big hit like the probability variation function, it has a game playability that increases the possibility of obtaining the big hit with small hits. When the game ball passes through the specific area P760, no bonus balls are paid out on the occasion of this passage (bonus balls are paid out when the game ball is detected by the internal detection switch inside the big winning opening P751), but here it is called "V win" for convenience. Regarding "V win", it may also be called "V ball entry".

[0090] [Other game machine specifications (specs)] The game machine specifications described above are representative. Since several other characteristic game machine specifications are known, a simple explanation will be given below regarding them.

[0091] (Limiter) "Limiter" is a function that restricts the operation of the probability variation function or the electric chur support function even when a specific gaming state in which the probability variation function or the electric chur support function operates occurs repeatedly with the execution of a big win game in between (so-called "continuous win" state), and when a predetermined number of repetitions (number of continuous wins) is reached, or even when a big win game that should originally activate the probability variation function or the electric chur support function is executed. A function that restricts the "probability variation function" as a limiter function based on the number of consecutive times is called a "probability variation limiter", and a function that restricts the "electric chur support function" based on the number of consecutive times is called a "time reduction limiter (electric support limiter)". And a gaming machine equipped with a 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 a 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 chur support function is operating together with the probability variation function, when winning the falling lottery, the operation of the electric chur 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 chur support function may continue.

[0093] Note that multiple combinations of the above-described gaming machine specifications are possible. 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 a special symbol lottery a predetermined number of times, or (3) obtaining the right to a big win 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 under consideration. Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration described in this embodiment, the explanation will be given on the premise of a pachinko gaming machine that adopts "ST (probability variation with cut-off of the number of times)" as the above-described gaming machine specifications (specs). In the explanation of the embodiment, the notation "P-s〇〇" indicating the processing steps 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 under consideration is turned on, the main control board P40 of the pachinko gaming machine P first executes 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 under consideration, 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 are 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 for whether to enter a state where a "setting change process" for changing a "setting value" for changing the degree of advantage of the special symbol lottery of the pachinko gaming machine P (particularly the operation probability of the accessory continuous operation device, that is, the jackpot probability) can be performed, and a flag for whether to enter a state where a "setting confirmation process" for confirming the "setting value" is to 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 being operated by the player, and the detection status of whether the setting key switch P49 is being rotated is generated as 1-byte data.

[0099] In the subsequent power-off information confirmation / checksum process (step 1006), it is a process of checking whether, when the power was turned off last time, the pachinko gaming machine P properly turned off the power and properly stored and saved the control data related to the game state at the time of power-off in the storage area of the CPU of the main control board P40. If the data 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 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 in an open state 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 subsequent process of step 1102 is omitted. On the other hand, if 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 machine P under consideration, the situations determined as "there is 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. 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 as YES in step 1104, data indicating "during setting change" is stored as the game stop state flag, and the game stop state setting process is terminated (steps 1106, step 1118). On the other hand, when it is determined as 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 recovery 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 clearing and setting (changing) processing of setting values 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 it should be in an error state (when the determination in step 1108 is YES), the game stop state flag is set to the "irrecoverable error state" and the game stop state setting process ends (steps 1110, 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 transition to the setting confirmation state has been performed. In other words, among the determinations of "there is a setting change operation", when (1) the frame release switch P131 is on (the frame is being released 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, when (2) the setting key switch P49 is not on and (3) the RAM clear switch P48 is on, (c) When the power is turned on without performing any operations such as "setting change operation", "setting confirmation operation", or "RAM clear operation". It is any of the following situations. And in these states, the 1-byte data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 1004) is such that (a) the bit data indicating the on / off of the setting key switch P49 is "1 (on data)", (b) the bit data indicating the on / off of the operation detection state of the RAM clear switch P48 is "1 (on data)", or (c) 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 (step 1114) in order to shift to the playable state after performing the RAM clear. On the other hand, in situations other than when a 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" has been 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 it is stored as data indicating "in setting confirmation" in the 1-byte data indicating the game stop state flag (step 1118). Also, when neither a RAM clear operation nor an 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), when 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) in the game allowable state in the power-on process (step 1000), the value indicating the stop state is referenced, and the progress of the game described as "basic game progress" cannot be carried out. 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 part of the storage area of the RAM on the main control board P40 is initialized from the storage area of the RAM.

[0108] In the processes from step 1014 to step 1020 that follow, 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 cut off last time (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. 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 gaming 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 process shifts 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 a situation where a power-off has occurred, the current game state is stored, and a power-off process (step 1032) is executed to store the power-off information and the checksum information and stop the processing as the CPU of the main control board P40. If it is a situation where a power-off has not occurred, the process proceeds to the subsequent processing.

[0114] In step 1034, processing 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 be performed in the interrupt processing described later, and this is a process to prevent the random number update cycle from becoming fixed by updating the random numbers only in the interrupt processing. Note that if there are processes that are executed irregularly in the interrupt processing, it is also possible to prevent the random number update cycle from becoming fixed 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 permit interrupts. Immediately afterwards, it will return to the interrupt prohibition of step 1026 which is the first process in the main loop. However, when the process of step 1036 that permits 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 processing) in the CPU of the main control board P40, the interrupt processing described later will be executed.

[0116] [Interrupt Processing] Subsequently, the interrupt processing (also referred to as "timer interrupt processing") 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 processing (step 2000), and it is configured to read and control the sub-module programs provided to be changeable according to the gaming machine specifications (specifications) in a general-purpose and fixed order. The processing related to those sub-modules will be briefly described below.

[0117] (Watchdog Timer Clear) At the beginning of the interrupt processing, a process for clearing the watchdog timer is provided. This process is the same as the watchdog timer clear process in the main loop processing (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 ports of the CPU on the main control board P40. (Step 2004)

[0119] The information input to the input ports 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 special figure 1 start port switch P712 and the big winning port switch P752; and 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 in this interrupt (referred to as "level data"). For the parts of the data read three times that do not become the same data in all 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 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 soft-updated among various random numbers such as winning / losing random numbers, symbol random numbers, and variation pattern random numbers related to special symbol draws, and winning / losing random numbers, general symbol random numbers, and general symbol variation pattern random numbers related to general symbol draws (step 2006). In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, the random numbers used for special symbol draws and general symbol draws are configured to have a specification in which the random numbers are updated by a circuit at a circuit update cycle and are also 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 soft random numbers is performed. As a method of update, (a) Increment (+1) or decrement (-1) the random number for update, and when the upper limit (or lower limit) of the random number range is exceeded, set it to the lower limit value (or upper limit value), (b) Subtract (or add) an arbitrary prime number from the random number, and when the random number range is exceeded, add (or subtract) a value of random number range + 1 (or random number range - 1), (c) Repeatedly increment (or decrement) from the random number set as the initial value, and when one cycle of update is completed, set the "initial value random number" that has been separately updated as the new initial value and repeat the same update (also referred to as an initial value update type random number), and various update methods such as these can be exemplified. 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 performs a process 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 when the pachinko machine was powered on, 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. 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 Figure 7), when the game stop flag is "during setting change", during the period until the setting key switch P49 is turned off, 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 confirmed. When the game stop flag is "during setting change", if rising 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 data based on the operation of the setting change switch (ram clear switch P48), in this setting control process, the process of increasing the set value by "1" (when the set value before the operation is 6, it is changed to 1 as the next value) is performed.

[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 interrupt processing cycle, 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 has been 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 the "timer subtraction process (step 2014)" to the "special electric accessory control process (step 2028)" in FIG. 9) is omitted.

[0131] In the assumed pachinko gaming machine P, as a state where game stop is necessary, that is, a state where the player cannot play the game, states such as "during setting change", "during setting confirmation", and "during occurrence of an irrecoverable error" can be exemplified.

[0132] (Timer subtraction process) The timer subtraction process is a process of updating 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 a hall computer) 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 making it "0" when it becomes a negative value, or not decrementing 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 data of a 1-byte timer, only the management targets that end 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 a 1-byte timer update process. Also, when it is necessary to manage time values that cannot be managed even by a 2-byte timer, it may be configured to have timer data such as a "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 normal 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 normal 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 normal electric accessory P770 shifts to the difficult ball entry mode as valid wins, and to be treated as the valid period even after the control period for executing the opening control for electric accessories such as the big winning opening P751 (special electric accessory P755) and the normal electric accessory P770 has elapsed.

[0140] Also, depending on the specifications of the gaming machine, when there is a specific area P760 (V area), the 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 becomes an opportunity for performing the process of generating (occurring of reservation) the right to conduct a special symbol lottery for winning balls and start opening ball entries. (Step 2018)

[0142] As 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 gaming 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 bonus balls and the occurrence of the trigger for the special symbol lottery, this process also determines the presence or absence of the detection of game balls required for the operation of the gaming 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).

[0144] (Operation Port Monitoring Process) When the rising edge data of the normal symbol operation port switch P742 is generated from the data generated in the input port confirmation process (step 2004), the operation port monitoring process performs the process related to the occurrence of a hold related to the normal symbol lottery (also referred to as a normal symbol hold). (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 general pattern", "1: General pattern changing", "2: General pattern stopped display", "3: General electric accessory operating", and "4: General electric accessory end demo", and corresponding processes are performed according to 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 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 determined that the right to vary the general pattern has occurred and the condition for starting the variation of the general pattern is satisfied, and the process related to the start of the variation of the general pattern is executed.

[0149] When it is determined to start the variation of the normal symbol, after subtracting 1 from the number of reserved numbers information in the area for storing the number of reserved numbers related to the normal symbol lottery, the normal symbol winning / losing random number, the normal symbol pattern random number, and the normal symbol variation pattern random number are called respectively to conduct the normal symbol winning / losing lottery, the normal symbol pattern lottery, and the normal symbol variation pattern lottery respectively. 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 process of shifting is performed so that the processing is carried out in the order in which the area for storing the number of reserved numbers information is stored. In addition, 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, function for shortening the variation time 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 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, in the normal symbol display device P53, it is a process of executing the variation display of the normal symbol.

[0152] More specifically, when the normal symbol variation display timer is not 0, each time this process is executed, a normal symbol display switching counter with a maximum value of "5" is updated. At the timing when the normal symbol display switching counter reaches "5", information regarding the next emission pattern is stored in the storage area that stores data for specifying the emission pattern of the LEDs constituting the normal symbol display device P53. Note that the normal 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 is such that the lighting pattern of the normal symbol display device P53 is 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 normal symbol display switching counter is set to 25, the display pattern of the normal symbol display device P53 is 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 stop display pattern of the normal symbol determined by the normal 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 confirmed whether the value of the normal symbol stop display timer, for which the symbol fixing time was set at the end of the normal symbol variation process, is "0". At the timing when it becomes "0", processing for making settings to move to the next game operation is performed.

[0156] When the normal symbol stop display timer reaches "0" and the result of the current 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 the current 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 when (a) a specified number of normal electric accessory wins set as the end condition of the normal electric accessory occur, or (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, a time for timing a certain extension period defined 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 normal electric accessory end demo".

[0161] 《Processing of the normal electric accessory operation end demo》 The normal electric accessory operation end demonstration 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 demonstration".

[0162] In the normal electric accessory operation end demonstration process, it waits until the normal electric accessory operation end demonstration timer set in the normal electric accessory operation process becomes "0", and when the normal electric accessory operation end demonstration 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) for 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 game machine P under consideration, since 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), 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] Also, when the starting port to be processed is composed of a starting port (electric chewing gum) related to a normal electric accessory, after determining whether or not a starting port winning related to the normal electric accessory P770 has 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 preview determination value table to generate information that allows the variation content when variations based on the various random numbers to be held can be predicted in advance, and this is notified to the effect control board P41 as an effect control command (referred to as the "preview determination command", "preview determination information", and "advance reading determination command"). The preview determination command is generated for each of the win / loss random number, symbol random number, and variation pattern random number, and when transmitted to the effect control board P41, it is used in the lottery related to the execution of the "advance reading effect" described later on 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 symbol 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 pachinko game status").

[0169] The special symbol status has the states of "0: Waiting for special symbol variation", "1: Special symbol varying", "2: Losing symbol stop display", "3: Big win symbol stop display", and "4: Small win symbol stop display". The special electric accessory status has the states of "0: Waiting for win", "1: Special electric accessory operating", "2: Big winning opening closed", "3: Big win end demo", "4: Small win special electric operating", "5: Small win closed", and "6: Small win end demo". Note that depending on the game machine specifications, 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] When there are multiple special symbols, the special symbol control process is performed based on a predetermined order (priority). Regarding the game machine specifications where, as the predetermined order, the process of preferentially controlling the second special symbol is performed, and 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), this is called "second special symbol (special figure 2) priority digestion control". In the description of the embodiment of the pachinko game 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 information on the special symbol status of the first special symbol and the special electric accessory status is referred to. If the data of the special electric accessory status indicates a big win game or a small win game (when the special electric accessory status is other than "0: Waiting for win"), and if the special symbol status of the first special symbol, which is varying, is other than "0: Waiting for special symbol variation", the process is completed without performing any processing.

[0172] When it is a situation where the control of the second special symbol is executed, a process of updating the timer value of the control related to 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 that stores the timer. When the result of the decrement becomes a negative value, "0" is set. Then, when the update of the timer is completed, based on the special symbol status corresponding to the 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 Control Process》 The special symbol variation start monitoring control process is a sub-module process that shifts when the special symbol status is "0: Waiting for special symbol variation".

[0174] In the special symbol variation start monitoring 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 that is performed when starting the variation. The special symbol lottery first reads and checks the data stored as the set value, and determines 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 that stores each flag indicating the game state, etc., and a win / loss lottery, a symbol lottery, and a variation pattern lottery are executed. After the lottery results are stored in the storage 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 the determination process (lottery process) of the content of the variation effect executed in accordance with the variation display of the special symbol. Note that the details regarding the special symbol lottery will be described later.

[0175] 《Special Symbol Variation Processing》 The special symbol variation in-process processing is a sub-module processing that transitions when the special symbol status is "1: During special symbol variation".

[0176] During the special symbol variation in-process processing, 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, the lighting display pattern of the 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 switched by the special symbol display switching timer (maximum value "24") that is updated every interrupt to indicate the variation display of the special symbol.

[0177] When the remaining variation display time of the special symbol becomes "0", information is set for outputting an external signal indicating that the variation display of the special symbol has been executed once to external devices (such as a data counter and a hall computer) connected to the pachinko game machine P, a process of setting the symbol fixing time for fixedly displaying the stop display symbol of the special symbol, and setting the lighting pattern data for displaying the stop display symbol indicating the stop display symbol determined as a result of the win / loss lottery and the symbol lottery on the special symbol display device P52 (P51). Then, according to the win / loss lottery result, the special symbol status is set to any one of "2: During losing symbol stop display", "3: During jackpot symbol stop display", and "4: During minor win symbol stop display".

[0178] 《Special symbol losing symbol stop display in-process processing》 The special symbol losing symbol stop display in-process processing is a process that transitions when the special symbol status is "2: During losing symbol stop display".

[0179] In the special symbol deviation symbol stop display process, it is checked whether the value of the timer that manages the symbol fixation time set in the special symbol variation process 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", and the remaining number of game rounds of the game state related to the special symbol lottery (probability variation function, electric chu support function, variation time shortening function) is updated, and it is also checked whether the end condition is satisfied. When the game state transition condition is satisfied, control related to the transition of the game state (such as turning off the flag) is performed.

[0180] 《Special symbol jackpot symbol stop display process》 The special symbol jackpot symbol stop display process is a process that transitions when the special symbol status is "3: Jackpot symbol stop display".

[0181] In the special symbol jackpot symbol stop display process, it is checked whether the value of the timer that manages the symbol fixation time set in the special symbol variation process 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", 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 was 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 special symbol jackpot symbol stop display process, 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 strike display lamp P56 (an LED that is lit when the game state recommends a right strike game in which a game ball is launched aiming at the right side of the game area), which is one of the components of the main control display device P50, is also performed.

[0183] 《Special Symbol Small Win Symbol Stop Display Processing》 The special symbol small win symbol stop display processing is a process that transitions when the special symbol status is "4: Small win symbol stop display in progress".

[0184] The special symbol small win symbol stop display processing, similar to the special symbol big win symbol stop display processing, along with the end of the symbol fixing time, performs data setting related to the operation of the special electric accessory P755 and setting processing related to the lighting of the right strike display lamp P56. Also, in the pachinko gaming machine P of this prior art, during the execution of a small win game (stop display of the small win symbol), unlike when the big win 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 processing 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: Small win closed". Note that depending on the gaming machine specifications, as a modification example, it is also possible to design a specification that has a process to forcibly end the game state (high probability state or high base state) in the same way as when the big win symbol stops during the execution of a small win game.

[0185] When any one of the above sub-module processes is selectively executed, 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 the variation can start, 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 Entry Order Completion Control, Parallel Control》 In the description of the special symbol control process mentioned above, the process related to "second special symbol priority digestion control" was described. However, when adopting a game machine specification different from the pachinko game machine assumed herein, it is also possible to proceed with the special symbol control process with different processes. Representative examples thereof will be briefly described below.

[0187] "Ball entry order digestion control" is a game machine specification in which the reserved 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 this specification is often adopted when the generation of reserved balls for both the reserved balls corresponding to the first special symbol and the reserved balls corresponding to the second special symbol is expected in a certain game state.

[0188] "Parallel control (parallel digestion)" is a type of game machine specification that, unlike the "second special symbol priority digestion control" and "ball entry order digestion" 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 is possible to increase the number of special symbol lottery times per unit time. When a 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 that forcibly deviates and stops the display of the other special symbol, or when one special symbol becomes a big win or a small win, a specification that temporarily interrupts 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 pachinko game status), and manages the operation of the special electric accessory (step 2028). In other words, when executing a jackpot game or a minor win game, it is a process that controls each state in the jackpot game and minor win game states, and controls the opening and closing of the big winning opening P751.

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

[0191] Among these special electric accessory statuses, when it is in the status of "0: Waiting for a win", since the player has not yet obtained the right to execute a jackpot game or a minor 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 is executed according to the status.

[0193] 《Special Electric Accessory Operating Process》 The special electric accessory operating process is a process executed when the special electric accessory status is "1: Special electric accessory operating" or "4: Minor win special electric operating". This process is a process 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 opened and controlled).

[0194] In the process of the operation of the special electric accessory, first, a process of determining whether the end condition of the round game (unit game) is satisfied is performed. As the end condition of the round game, it is determined that the game ends when either (a) the number of winning times of the specified number (also called "count") corresponding to the activated special electric accessory is achieved, or (i) 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 is ended without performing the subsequent processes. Note that among the operation patterns (release patterns) of the special electric accessory P755, there are patterns that open and close the big winning port P751 multiple times. When these patterns are executed, during one round game, the timer used for the determination in (i) 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) "there is no next operation pattern data in the current unit game", it is determined that (i) is satisfied.

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

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

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

[0198] When the big winning opening closing time has elapsed, subsequently, it is determined whether the operation (round game) of the special electric accessory P755 whose operation ended first was the final round game in the current 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 round games other than the final round (or at the start of the win demo). Note that the determination of whether it was the final round game is based on whether the cumulative data of the operation times of the special electric accessory P755 that operated during the current winning game exceeds the maximum operation times data of the special electric accessory P755 in the current winning game. At the start of the win demo, the cumulative data of the operation times of the special electric accessory P755 is "0".

[0199] In the process of closing the big winning opening, when it is determined that the final round of the game has ended, 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 has started a big win or a small win). Then, the special electric accessory status is incremented to "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 on 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 of closing the big winning opening, when it is determined that it is the end other than the final round of the 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 of the game is (N-round start demo command ※ N is an integer) and information for instructing the recommended firing position during the winning game (in the pachinko machine assumed, the right area P501R (right shooting area) of the game board) (right shooting command) are transmitted.

[0201] Then, the special electric accessory status is decremented and updated to "1: During the operation of the special electric accessory" or "4: During the operation of the small win special electric", and the data in the data area for counting the number of winning game balls entering the big winning opening P751 during the round game is initialized. Then, the time value related to the first opening (or the closing immediately after the start of the round game) of the big winning opening P751 during the round game is set as the operation pattern data of the big winning opening P751 (special electric accessory P755) in the round game, and the data in the storage area related to the cumulative number of operations of the special electric accessory P755 is incremented.

[0202] (Prize ball control process) The prize ball control process is a process for awarding a game ball to the player as a prize ball for the winning of the game ball at the winning opening arranged on the game board P5. The processing content 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 of checking for the presence of control commands related to the execution of prize ball payouts transmitted from the payout control board P43 to the main control board P40 and receiving (storing) the transmitted commands. The main control board P0 stores the information transmitted from the payout control board P43 in two registers (storage areas). One register is called the status register and stores information for determining whether there is information transmitted from the payout control board P43 and whether the transmitted information was transmitted normally. The other register is called the data register and stores information on the control content related to payout control transmitted from the payout control board P43. 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 winning counter data for each winning port that stores the winning count data of various winning ports stored in the winning monitoring process (step 2018) is checked to confirm the presence of un-paid-out winnings. This confirmation process is checked in a predetermined order for each winning port. When it is determined that the data of the winning counter for one winning port is not "0", 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 for the corresponding winning port. By this process, even when the winning 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, it is checked whether the payout control board P43 has normally received information regarding the payout amount. In this process, it is determined whether a command is normally received or whether a communication error is determined due to some abnormality. Until the reception status of the command is determined (whether it is normally received successfully or is in 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 within 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 occurrence of an abnormality from the information of sensors provided for fraud detection in the pachinko 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 there is a situation where an abnormality has occurred based on the input information generated in the input port confirmation process (Step 2004). Also, in addition to various sensors, it also has as detection targets cases where a harness for electrical connection has been removed or a short circuit in the wiring has occurred.

[0208] And when abnormal data exists in any of the judgment information, after storing it by turning on the corresponding error flag, a command for notifying error information is set as an effect control command for the effect control board P41.

[0209] (Sensor detection determination process) The sensor detection determination process is a process of determining the period during which the detection of sensors and switches has been continuously performed from the detection data (level data) of 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 determination process, when the level data of the detection data information of the target sensor and 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 of 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 non-on data, the data counting the continuous input period is initialized (updated to "0").

[0211] For example, when it is continuously detected that the winning port detection switch provided at the winning port is in the on state, it is determined that a ball jam has occurred, and the control is set to an error state. 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 include the touch sensor switch provided on the handle P204 and the switch for detecting fraud. Sensors that require input of on-data for a certain period to distinguish whether it is due to 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) displaying the hold numbers related to the special symbol lottery, normal symbol hold display light P63 for displaying the hold numbers related to the normal symbol lottery, etc. generate lighting data (lighting patterns) and store them as data output in the LED output process.

[0215] In addition, in the game state display process, regarding the LED display lights that are lighting-controlled, when blinking display is required, update of the display switching counter related to the corresponding LED and 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 hold numbers of the special symbol lottery can be held up to a maximum of 4, since the special symbol hold display lights are configured with two LED display lights (each of the special figure 1 hold display light P61 and the special figure 2 hold display light P62 has two LEDs), when there are 3 or more hold numbers, at least one LED is not in continuous lighting display but in a blinking display specification.

[0216] (Output port output process) The output port output process is a process for setting to transmit signals related to the game operation to electric accessory devices which 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 device control process, when the operation patterns of the normal electric accessory device or the special electric accessory device are set, signal data for releasing (or closing) each electric accessory device is output to the normal electric accessory device driving means P71 and the special electric accessory device driving means P72 (in the pachinko gaming machine as a premise, solenoids) by the process in the output port output process.

[0218] In addition, for the payout control board P43, a control signal (launch permission signal) for permitting or prohibiting the launch of game balls based on the player's handle operation is generated and output through 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 errors that require game 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 under consideration, the specification is such that 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 under consideration, 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 (setting) and reading (transmitting) the effect control command are used to calculate the addresses of the storage areas for writing and reading commands in the next process. The writing and reading of the effect control command are executed according to this specification.

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

[0222] Returning to the description of the specific processing content of the performance control command transmission process, the description will be carried out. In the performance control command transmission process, first, it is checked whether the information of the aforementioned write pointer and read pointer match. If they match, it is determined that there is no performance 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 a performance control command to be transmitted, and the process proceeds to the next process.

[0223] When it is determined that there is a performance 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 are temporarily stored in the registers in the CPU of the main control board P40 respectively. After clearing the performance 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 performance control commands, the MODE data and EVENT data stored in the registers of the main control board P40 will be transmitted to the performance control board P41 in order. First, the MODE data is set in the performance command output port, which is the output port for transmitting the performance control command to the performance control board P41, and a strobe signal for causing the performance 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 performance control board P41 receives the MODE data, after performing a process of inserting a standby time of 26 μs, similar to when transmitting the MODE data, the EVENT data is set to the output port and the strobe signal is output. When the performance control board P41 confirms the strobe signal, it generates a performance control command reception interrupt and receives the performance 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 regarding the game status and information regarding security such as error occurrence to an external device (data counter, hall computer, etc.) connected to the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise from the external information output terminal 77 (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 includes those that transmit a pulse signal which is an on-potential for a certain period when an opportunity for signal output occurs, and those that continue 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 regarding the game state is generated. As the signal regarding 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-chute 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 the output signal output in the external information output process, not only signals related to the gaming state but also information based on the occurrence of a predetermined gaming result is output. For example, a signal (also called a "pattern fixing signal") that is transmitted each time a special symbol is variably displayed and then stopped, or each time a game ball is detected as entering various winning ports such as a start port switch (special drawing 1 start port switch P712, special drawing 2 start port switch 722) and a big winning port switch P752, or each time the payout of winning balls based on the entry of balls into various winning ports reaches a predetermined number (for example, 10), data is set in the external output data and a signal is transmitted to an external device. These signals are mainly composed of pulse signals, and a signal of 1 is transmitted as a pulse signal with an on potential lasting for 128 ms. However, when multiple gaming results occur continuously, after the output of one pulse signal is completed, an off potential output for a certain period is inserted, 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 gaming state of the game. (Step 2044)

[0230] The LEDs that make up the main control display device P50 include 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), and in addition, a total of 32 LED display parts including the round display lamp P54, the status display lamp P55, and the right strike display lamp (8 LEDs in total).

[0231] Note that the status display lamp P55 represents the display lamps related to a plurality of game states collectively. 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 to the output port byte by byte for each interrupt process to light the main control display device P50. Based on a value called 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 game machine P as a premise, the main control display device P50 is controlled by a dynamic lighting method in which lighting data is output sequentially 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, lighting control of the LED display that is only lit when the game stop flag is in the set change state, the set confirmation state, or the non-returnable error state is also performed.

[0235] In addition, 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, and during setting change, setting confirmation, and in case of an irrecoverable 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 a fixed lighting pattern 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 the game result and game state 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 prize 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 the 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 the 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 acquired 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 random number values that the win / loss random number can take (random number value range) 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 setting values.

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

[0242] For example, in the situation where the win / loss lottery is executed using the win / loss lottery table of FIG. 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 a subsequent process, a comparison is made between the random number value "1172" after the operation of the previous jackpot determination and the non-winning 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 non-winning 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 "non-winning" is stored as the win / loss lottery result.

[0245] If the special symbol lottery is performed for the current win / loss random number "1500" in the high-probability state, 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 as a premise, 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) "Winning symbol lottery" is a process of determining the stop display symbol of the special symbol, which is a special symbol lottery result, as the lottery result required 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 later.

[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 the special symbol is variably displayed, 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, on 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 game machine P in order to realize the game performance, and a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0252] Note that in the assumed pachinko game machine P, it is described that symbols grouped by jackpot type are displayed by the lottery shown in Fig. 11(A). For example, in the previous example, after determining the jackpot type 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. It may be the case that the winning symbol lottery is executed in two stages: determination of the jackpot type and determination of the stop display symbol.

[0253] Also, in the assumed pachinko game 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 winning symbols that can be determined are configured to be different. More specifically, in the assumed pachinko game machine P, in the jackpot of the second special symbol, the possibility of determining "10R Certain Variable 5" to "10R Certain Variable 8" 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 winning symbol lottery table. The small winning 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 winning symbol lottery table described above.

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

[0256] As an example of the purpose of providing a plurality of small winning symbols in a pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, for example, the number of game balls that can be obtained by simply changing the opening mode of the big winning opening P751 during small winning games is made different, or in a pachinko gaming machine P that adopts small winning V as a gaming machine specification (specification), in order to separate a small winning game in which it is easy to win V in a specific area and a small winning game in which it is difficult to win V, the small winning symbols are differentiated, or in order to separate the types of specific games that are shifted after the execution of the big winning game after winning V, the small winning symbols are made different, etc. are carried out for the purpose. Note that the "small winning game in which it is easy to win V" and the "small winning game in which it is difficult to win V" are realized by diverting the flow path by the action of the opening and closing member P761 (valve member), which is a structure for changing the ease of passage with respect to the "specific area". Specifically, (1) during the small winning game, the big winning opening P751 is opened multiple times (for example, 10 times with an opening of 0.1 seconds), and immediately after the start of the first opening of the big winning opening P751 during the small winning game (for example, 0.1 seconds after the start of the first opening of the big winning opening P751), the opening and closing member P761 (valve member) switches to the flow path that guides to the specific area side, and immediately after the end of the last opening of the big winning opening P751 during the small winning game (for example, 0.1 seconds after the 10th opening of the big winning opening P751 ends and closes) or when a predetermined specified number of 10 balls enter the big winning opening during the small winning game and the current opening of the big winning opening (any one of the 1st to 10th times) is forcibly ended and closed (for example, 0.1 seconds after any one of the 1st to 10th openings of the big winning opening P751 ends and closes), the opening and closing member P761 (valve member) switches to the flow path that does not guide to the specific area side. The small winning game is the "small winning game in which it is easy to win V". In other words, if the player continues to shoot the game balls toward the big winning opening P751, the probability that all 10 balls, which is a predetermined specified number, enter the big winning opening P751 is approximately 100%, and the small winning game in which the probability that at least any one of the 10 balls passes through the specific area is approximately 100% is the "small winning game in which it is easy to win V".On the other hand, during the small win game, the big winning opening P751 is opened once (for example, opened once for 0.2 seconds). After a long time has passed since the start of the first opening of the big winning opening P751 during the small win game (for example, 5 seconds after the start of one opening of the big winning opening P751), the opening and closing member P761 (valve member) switches to the flow-down path that guides it to the specific area side, and 0.1 second after this switch, the opening and closing member P761 (valve member) switches to the flow-down path that does not guide it to the specific area side. The small win game is a "small win game in which V winning is difficult". In other words, even if the player continues to shoot the game balls towards the big winning opening P751, the probability that all 10 balls, which is the predetermined number, will not be realized in the big winning opening P751 is approximately 100%, and moreover, the probability that even if some game balls enter the big winning opening P751, they will not pass through the specific area at all is approximately 100%. The small win game is a "small win game in which V winning is difficult".

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

[0258] More specifically, in Fig. 11(C), only the losing symbol lottery table for the first special symbol is shown. In the pachinko machine P as a premise, 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 "losing 2" symbol is a losing symbol that wins with a probability of approximately 6.4% when the first special symbol is a loss. When "losing 2" is the winning symbol, in the variable pattern lottery, it is configured to make it easier to determine the variable pattern (variable time) by referring to a special lottery table (not shown) that is likely to reach a reach state. Therefore, regarding "losing 2", it may also be referred to as a "reach losing symbol" or the like.

[0260] In addition, in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, there is no losing symbol lottery table for the second special symbol, and regardless of the symbol random number, one losing symbol is determined. 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 use a lottery table that always wins one symbol to win the losing symbol.

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

[0262] Fig. 12 mainly shows the "variable pattern lottery table in low base medium" in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base medium), the low base state (non-electric chu support state), that is, the state in which it is recommended to launch a game ball into the left area P501L of the game board in the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration.

[0263] In Fig. 12, "ID" represents the information stored as a result of performing the variable pattern lottery, and "variable pattern" shows a representative example of the mode of the variable production displayed on the production display device P80 when the same ID is won. "Variable time" is the variable display time value of the special symbol in the result (variable pattern ID) of the target variable pattern lottery, and represents the time from when the special symbol is variably displayed until it is stopped and displayed.

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

[0265] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, the variation pattern lottery corresponding to the second special symbol is independent of the number of retained balls and is configured to use a common lottery table regardless of the number of retained balls. Although not shown, when the lottery result of "miss 2 (reach miss symbol)" is determined, even in the variation pattern lottery of the first special symbol, the variation pattern lottery is configured to be performed using one variation pattern table (variation pattern table for miss 2) that is independent of the number of retained balls.

[0266] "10R Certain Variation", "5R Certain Variation", "10R Normal", and "5R Normal" in FIG. 12 indicate the variation pattern tables used for the variation pattern lottery at the time of a big win in the low base state, representing that when the winning or losing lottery result is "big win", the variation pattern lottery 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 also be multiple patterns depending on the type of big win.

[0267] Here, with reference to FIG. 12, a specific example of variable pattern selection in the low base state will be described. As a specific example, in the selection of the first special symbol, a situation where the variable pattern random number is "30000", the number of hold balls at the start of the variation is 3 (the number of holds becomes 2 after the start of the variation), and the win / loss lottery result and the winning symbol lottery are "loss 1" will be described.

[0268] First, since the number of hold balls at the start of the variation is "3", the variable pattern table of "holding 3 and varying" is used. The lottery process is the same as the lottery process in the win / loss lottery described above. The variable pattern random number is compared (subtracted) with the random number value range corresponding to the variable 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 variable pattern random number with the random number value range, a negative value is obtained, and the same ID is determined as the variable pattern selection. After a 7-second variable display is performed as the variable display of the special symbol, a losing symbol 1 is displayed on the first special symbol display device P51.

[0269] Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 13, the variable pattern table in the high base state will be described. 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 at the time of loss that depends on the number of hold balls for the second special symbol, and a table for each jackpot symbol at the time of jackpot. In FIGS. 12 and 13, many variable patterns are configured to be commonly determined, but this is also for the purpose of simplifying the explanation. 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] Also, as a feature of the variable pattern table in the high base state, as the lottery results of "holding 3 and varying" and "holding 4 and varying" of the second special symbol at the time of loss, a 2-second variation (variable pattern ID "12"), which is the shortest variation 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, it is configured such that the 10-second variation of the variation pattern ID "4" is always 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 the obtained winning 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). By preferentially executing a large number of variation displays corresponding to the second special symbol, the purpose is to enable the player to obtain a more advantageous jackpot. 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 it is easy to retain the hold established in the normal game state (low base state) until the specific game state (high base state), which is an advantageous state, ends. There is also an aim to avoid 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 gaming machine P as a premise.

[0273] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, a "within-reserve consecutive wins 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 a "reserve consecutive wins" (within-reserve consecutive wins of the jackpot), where the jackpot is determined by four holds existing at the time of the 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 in which 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 the high-base state and in which a "result effect" described later is mainly executed are provided in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise.

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

[0275] In the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, the reference period of the limited frequency pattern table is configured to be referable during a predetermined 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 vary during a specific period after the operation of a special electric accessory based on a small win game. Which special fluctuation 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 related to the effect operation in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise for the control of the effect control board P41. 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 freedom in design 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 Process and Main Loop Process of 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 the power-on process (step 4000). Here, the details of the power-on process of the performance control board P41 will be described with reference to FIG. 15.

[0278] When the power-on process (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 device 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 process of the main control board P40 (FIG. 7) and the power-on process 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 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 at a cycle of 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 effect control random number data (step 4006) is performed to update various effect control random numbers used when an opportunity to execute an effect lottery occurs.

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

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

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

[0285] In the performance device control process (step 4010), since 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), 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-described input port monitoring process) are used as an opportunity to synchronize with the performance switching timing of the performance display device P80 and output performance operation commands to various performance devices.

[0286] Regarding the operation control of the performance movable prop P560 among the performance devices, since control with a shorter cycle 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 (see Fig. 16) of the performance control board P41 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 a special symbol based on commands related to the execution result of a special symbol lottery (a pass / fail command, a symbol command, a variation pattern command) (a process of performing a notice, a reach content, a process of determining a decorative symbol to stop, etc.), 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 a special game (a big win or a small win) is executed, 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 process of determining the error display content when an error is detected on the performance control board P41 (including a process of determining 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] Note that for the determination processes of 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 explanation is omitted. When executing a process having a feature in the pachinko gaming machine P that is the subject of the invention, the details will be described in the description of the embodiment of the pachinko gaming machine P that 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 interrupt process (every 4 ms) of the main control board P40, in the pachinko game machine P assumed, until the cycle (16 ms) of the main loop process of the performance control board P41 elapses, the analysis of the performance control command is repeatedly executed as much as possible (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 a solenoid or a stepping motor) 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 a comparison value is performed to determine whether or not 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 or not sensor detection information related to the switching of the production operation, such as whether or not the production operation switching condition 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 a process of 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 that determines whether or not 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 rising 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 judged based only on the rising 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 rising data, it may be judged as 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 level data of the on input is continuously detected 500 times, that is, when it is judged that the effect operation means P81 has been operated for 0.5 seconds, it is judged as a "long press (long pull)" operation and configured to be treated as a special operation. Note that in the determination of the presence or absence and continuation of the "long press (long pull)" operation, falling data (data indicating that the level data has changed from on to off this time) may be detected as electrical noise. In this case as well, similar to the countermeasure against false detection described above, after the detection of the falling data, it may be judged 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 gaming 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 on the effect operation means P81 once every certain period (for example, every 0.3 seconds). In this way, the repeated process that is executed assuming that a "single press" operation has been performed triggered by a special operation such as a "long press (long pull)" operation is called an "auto rapid fire" operation. Note that the "auto rapid fire" operation is not limited to the illustrated 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 on 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 with 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 (which may also be called a "sub-intermediate command") to the CPU of the image control board P42 so as to cause the CPU of the image control board P42 to execute 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 as the image control command, and to transmit it to the image control board P42.

[0307] 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 separate interrupt processing for transmission and reception.

[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, 5504).

[0310] After 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 specific bits of "1" and "0" 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 a 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 production 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 production 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), until a strobe signal based on the transmission of EVENT data is received from the main control board P40, the production control command reception interrupt is exited, and other processes are performed and waiting is carried out.

[0313] In step 5506, when it is determined that the reception of the production control command has been completed, it is determined whether the sent production 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 production control commands that can be sent from the main control board P40. And when it is determined that it is a normal command, it is stored in the storage area for storing the received production control command to be analyzed in the production control command analysis process during the production control timer interrupt process. In the case of abnormal data, the temporary buffer data is discarded.

[0314] [Example of production for basic image display] Next, with reference to FIGS. 17 to 20, the basic production 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 / low base), and FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a situation where a reach production 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, and FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a game production 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 production display in 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 can be clearly confirmed by the player in the approximate center area 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, each number may be 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 "preview" using an animation or an image of an effect is performed to enhance the anticipation of winning the jackpot game.

[0317] The decorative symbol P801 shown in FIG. 17 is scrolled and displayed in the vertical direction (from top to bottom) when the variation display starts, and then the stop display symbol determined by the effect control board P41 is 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 jackpot. Also, a state where one symbol is variably displayed while another symbol is being displayed, for example, a state where the left symbol and the right symbol are displayed (temporarily stopped display) with the same symbol before the middle symbol P801b, which is the last symbol to stop (also referred to as the "final stop symbol"), stops is called "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 front-back (diagonal) direction using the horizontal or depth direction. 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 one variable display of the special symbol. At this time, during 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 display at other timings is called a "temporary stop (display)". Note that the stop display that is simultaneous with the stop display of the special symbol may 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 is not recognized as being fixed, or it operates in a direction such as up and down or left and right, or swings around a rotation axis of 1. Such a state may be expressed as "swing 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 big win symbol is temporarily stopped is called a "pseudo-variation (pseudo-link)" effect, and the re-variation where the big win symbol that is stopped and displayed after the stop of the big win symbol may be changed is called an "upgrade (variation)" effect. Note that when performing the upgrade effect, it may be configured not to change to a big win symbol that is less favorable than the stopped big win 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 meaning. For example, it may suggest that a specific big win is executed, or that the pseudo-variable effect described above is performed, or 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 shown on the special symbol display devices P51 and P52 indicating the result of the special lottery, even when a special effect is being performed 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 state when the above-mentioned decorative symbol P801 reaches a reach state, or a simple method of variable display may be adopted, such as performing certain display switching until the variable display of the special symbol stops and becomes a stop display state, independent of the decorative symbol P801, in order to achieve the minimum purpose of notifying the result of the special symbol lottery.

[0326] 《Reserved 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 it is displayed to the approximate center direction 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 variable display from the hold display area, and is called "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 called "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 form of the variable object P813 in the variable object display area P812 does not necessarily have to be configured exactly the same as the hold object P811. When a certain hold display moves and is displayed in the variable object display area P812 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 form 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 variable display).

[0330] "Simple Hold Display" At approximately the center position in the vertical 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 mode of the hold object P811 for hold 3 is configured to have a higher probability of winning than the display mode of the hold object P811 for hold 2. Thus, the effect of changing the display mode 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 multiple types of change modes, each with a different probability (expectation) of winning, and the display mode 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 variable display corresponding to the hold that has become the execution target of the effect is started, an effect that suggests a high probability of winning 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 executing the "preview effect", the holds determined as the targets of the effect execution may be referred to as "preview target holds", "trigger holds", "culprit holds", etc., and the variable display of special symbols based on the preview target holds may be referred to as "preview target variations", "trigger variations", "culprit variations", etc.

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

[0336] 《Chance Symbol Preview》 The "Chance Symbol Preview" is an effect in which the stop display symbol of the decorative symbol P801 that follows 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 mode of the decorative symbol P801 predetermined as the chance symbol, (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 cited.

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

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

[0339] (Example display when executing 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 refers to the 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. It shows a situation where the "4" symbol vibrates violently and a big win will occur if it switches to "5".

[0342] Here, in the example of FIG. 18, the displays of the left and right symbols "5" of the decorative symbol are shown 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 shown larger than the decorative symbol P801 at the stop display and 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 notify 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) as the retreat symbol P803, the visibility of the effect that the player wants to pay attention to is enhanced.

[0343] Also, gaming machines that do not have three displays of the decorative symbol P801 are known, and there are also multi-line reaches that form multiple reach modes simultaneously, but 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 vary and are displayed synchronously in the same mode. Although it is situationally different from the situation of "a state where decorative symbols other than one decorative symbol are displayed in the same mode and it is notified that a big win will occur if the last symbol stops in the same mode", 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, an "effect setting display area (P850)" is displayed, and in the example of FIG. 18, a volume setting display P851 is displayed as the effect setting display.

[0346] The performance setting display area P850 is an area for displaying 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 to be generated or changing the occurrence frequency of the pre-warning performance, which is called a performance mode.

[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 the 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 in addition to the illustrated setting change methods, other methods can be appropriately adopted.

[0349] Also, regarding the display of the performance setting display area P850 and the use of the 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 the various performance setting functions is made invalid.

[0350] (Example of performance display during a big win game) Next, based on FIG. 19, the display mode of the effect in the state where the jackpot game is being executed in the assumed pachinko gaming machine P 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 display of the decorative symbol P801 that triggered the jackpot game is being performed. In the lower left of the screen, similar to during the execution of the reach effect described above, one decorative symbol P801 (also referred to as "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 being 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), it suggestively shows 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 end of the jackpot. Therefore, by displaying the decorative symbols (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 expected to be obtained even during the jackpot game.

[0353] Also, as a display indicating the type of jackpot, in FIG. 19, under the character string "ROUND6" (referred to as "round display (P820)"), an icon image P821 imitating a pentagonal shield is displayed, 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 "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 of 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, displays such as "〇〇 bonus!" (notifying a maximum round big win) and "△△ chance" (suggesting a big win that is not the maximum round) are performed to execute an effect that notifies the player of the type of big win.

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

[0356] Note that the "upgrade effect of big win" may also be used when suggesting that a big win game is being executed, which 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 cited where the effect display switches from an effect of a big win game (referred to as "non-probability variation big win", "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 "probability variation big win", "specific big win") where the probability variation function operates after the big win.

[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 an effect indicating the big win effect display, there are "round display (P820)" executed by the character string display of "ROUND_〇" in the upper left of the screen, "acquired ball number display (P822)" executed by the character string display of "TOTAL_〇〇pt" in the lower right of the screen, "count display (P825)" displayed by 10 circular image objects approximately in the center on the right side of the screen, and the like. Although not shown in the drawings, during the big win game, in addition to these displays, an image display such as an animation called "round effect" is displayed.

[0358] 《Round Display》 “Round Display (P820)” is a display that indicates which round of the ongoing round game (unit game) it is 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 6th round of the round game 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 first round, and the first round of the jackpot game executed after winning the V may be treated as the second 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 Number Display》 “Acquired Ball Number Display (P822)” includes types such as “Jackpot Acquired Ball Number Display (P823※ not shown)” that displays the number of game balls accumulated in one ongoing jackpot game, and “Cumulative Acquired Ball Number 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 Number Display (P824)”, which is a 5 - digit display of the acquired ball number, is being displayed. Note that the “Jackpot Acquired Ball Number Display (P823)” and the “Cumulative Acquired Ball Number Display (P824)” may be displayed simultaneously in parallel.

[0361] In the pachinko machine P as a premise, regarding the “Acquired Ball Number 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 accumulation of the prize ball payout for the “Acquired Ball Number Display P822”, it may be cumulatively added based on the payout due 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 the jackpot game but also during the execution of a specific game. Also, 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 the jackpot game but also during a specific game or a minor jackpot game.

[0363] Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P as a premise, in addition to the "acquired ball count display (P822)", in special situations such as when the accumulated prize ball payout number reaches a delimiter payout number such as "2500 balls", "5000 balls", "10000 balls", etc., it is possible to execute a "delimiter acquired ball count display" effect that emphasizes and notifies the player in addition to the "acquired ball count display" (for example, displaying "GET10000!!").

[0364] 《Count Display》 The "count display (P825)" is a display that shows how many more 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 white circular object in two columns at a position slightly to the center of the right side of the screen.

[0365] In the example of FIG. 19, as the game in the 6th round, 5 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 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 satisfy the closing condition of the big winning opening P751 is continuously 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 for notification. 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 as an addition target.

[0368] 《Other Effect Displays During the Big Win Game》 Next, other effect displays where 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 figure 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 assumed pachinko gaming machine P, 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 keys 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 in the vicinity of the selected music display P854 as shown in FIG. 20.

[0371] Note that the selection of effects during such a jackpot game is not limited to music selection, and it is also possible to change the round effects or select the effects (effect mode) during a specific game after the jackpot game (collectively referred to as "effect customization display (P853)"). However, detailed explanations thereof are omitted.

[0372] Finally, the "right strike" and the right arrow symbol displayed at the lower part of the simplified installation diagram P802 in the upper right 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, so the "right strike notification (P832)" (display of the character string "right strike" and the right arrow symbol) is executed.

[0373] The "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-size display at the center of the screen or the like so that it is easier for the player to recognize than the strike division notification P830 shown in FIG. 19.

[0374] Note that 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 what is displayed for almost all of the period during which the gaming state continues to display the recommended launch position in the gaming state during the jackpot game or a specific gaming state is sometimes expressed as the "second strike division notification image" ("small right strike display (P832)", "small left strike display (P834)").

[0375] Also, 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 by displaying a message such as "Please shoot to the right". 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 for those described in the previous explanations are omitted, and explanations for effect displays not described so far and effect displays having differences from the previous explanations are given.

[0377] First, as an effect display not described so far, explanations regarding "effect mode display (P840)" and "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 by state information called the effect mode. When the effect mode displays are different, although there are some preview effects that are partially common among 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 of "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 each 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 in 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 gaming machine P under consideration, as an effect display in a specific gaming state, an effect mode display P840, a remaining number of games 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 gaming state, in order to perform such additional displays that are not displayed in the normal gaming state (low probability / low base state), if the decorative symbol P801 is displayed in the same size as the normal gaming 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 gaming 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 attached to the number indicating the symbol can also be adopted.

[0384] 《Reserved Display Area (Specific Gaming State)》 In the pachinko gaming machine P under consideration, as shown in the lower left of the screen in FIG. 20, as the display of the reserved object P811 in the reserved display area P810 of the specific gaming state, a display area for the reserved objects from "Reserved 1" to "Reserved 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 reserved object P811 located at the bottom of FIG. 20 disappears, and the display of the reserved objects P811 arranged in the back moves to the front and the display is controlled to become 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 when the player recognizes that the "continuous winning" state has ended, such as when the last variation of a specific game state (high base state) is executed or when there are no more pending events during a specific game state, in the pachinko machine P as a premise. 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 won in total (corresponding to the display of the number of acquired 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 given 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 win V" described in the description of the typical game machine specifications ("specs") of the pachinko machine as a premise. Depending on the "base state" in the normal game state when starting a small win (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 win 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 end of the "specific gaming state" (low probability / high base state), and when it is controlled to the "(low probability / )low base state", if it acquires the right to a small win (or a big win) through a special symbol hold (hold of the second special symbol) which is the main body of the game in the specific gaming state to be played, it is configured such that the period of maintaining the specific gaming state (low probability / high base state) as the gaming state after the special gaming state (big win game) is substantially until the next small win (or big win) can be acquired, thereby adopting a characteristic gameplay of being able to obtain the right to two small wins (big wins) substantially.

[0391] A detailed description of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment having the above-mentioned characteristics will be given below.

[0392] (Panel Configuration) First, the configuration of the panel 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 a panel configuration substantially the same as that of the pachinko gaming machine based 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 big winning opening (attacker) P751. Note that, as long as the change does not change (or remains a minor change) the gameplay disclosed below, a different panel configuration may be adopted as appropriate.

[0394] (Specifications) Subsequently, 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 output 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 winning probability of a jackpot set at 1 / 269 (common for the first special symbol and the second special symbol), and the winning probability of a minor win set at 1 / 9.1 (for the second special symbol only). The number of prize balls is set as follows: 4 balls for the first start winning opening (the first start opening) P711, 3 balls for the second start winning opening (the second start opening) P721, 3 balls for the left general winning opening P731L, 2 balls for the right general winning opening P731R, and 15 balls for the big winning opening (attacker) P751.

[0396] In addition, the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment employs a control for preferentially resolving the second special symbol. When there are holds for both the first special symbol and the second special symbol, the second special symbol is preferentially variably displayed. Note that in the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment, only the second special symbol has a "minor win" as the special symbol lottery result, but it is also possible to configure the first special symbol to have a "minor win". As long as the game characteristics of the pachinko gaming machine P of this embodiment are not lost, it goes without saying that not limited to the control for preferentially resolving the second special symbol, as a modification, a control for preferentially resolving the first special symbol or a control for resolving in the order of ball entry that preferentially resolves the ones that entered the ball earlier may be applied.

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

[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 of the second special symbol or minor jackpot V). 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 chaser support function (electric support) after various jackpots (including minor jackpot V).

[0399] Also, in the detailed control example to be 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 in which a maximum of 4 remaining holds with variable display are shown after the end of the specific game, 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 times of variable display of the first special symbol and the number of times of variable display 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) according to the player's design intention is executed. Note that when a game (abnormal game, irregular game) ignoring the player's design intention is executed, the game flow 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 (a so-called "left shot" that fires the game ball towards 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. If 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 a 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 normal symbol operating opening P741 occurs, a normal 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 when the game ball enters 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 draw result that triggers a small win V, which is the lottery result that triggers a small win, can be received for each time during the high-base state and for the maximum number of holds of the second special symbol (4 in this embodiment). Here, in the "Breakthrough Zone", by the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol (up to 5 times), a big win or a small win is obtained, and the probability that the player will obtain "Small Win V / Big Win (Special Figure 2)" (Fig. 21(C)) is set to approximately 45%. If the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol in the "Breakthrough Zone" does not result in a win (big win or small win), the game transitions to "Normal Game (Low Probability / Low Base)" (Fig. 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 holds" or "Pseudo Big Win - Low Probability / High Base (Special Figure 2: 95 times) + Maximum 4 remaining holds" (Fig. 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 operating, in the case of "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)" triggered by the variation display of a special symbol starting to vary, after the end of "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)", it transitions to "Battle Mode" (Figure 21(E)), and at the end of "Small Win V / Jackpot (Special Figure 2)" triggered by the winning variation of the second special symbol corresponding to the remaining hold (hold related to the second special symbol) that starts to vary in the low base state where the electric chewing support function is not operating, it is controlled to transition to "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 (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 stops displaying. Similar to the "Breakthrough Zone", the player aims to shoot the game ball into the right area P501R and obtain "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) (Figure 21(F)). If the second special symbol does not result in a small win V or a jackpot in the maximum 10 times of variable display, it transitions to "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 shooting 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 machine P of this embodiment, in the special symbol lottery of the second special symbol, since the probability of getting a "Small win" is set to 1 / 9.1, 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 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 can also be set to the timing when the second special sym...

Claims

【Claim 1】 A start port into which a game ball can be inserted, A big winning port into which a game ball can be inserted, A special symbol display device capable of executing variable display and stop display of special symbols upon the insertion of a game ball into the start port, Special game execution means capable of executing a special game advantageous to the player after the special symbol stops and is displayed in a specific mode in the special symbol display device, An effect display device capable of displaying an effect display, Comprising, In the special game, it is possible to execute a unit game in which the big winning port is in an open state, In the effect display device, it is possible to execute variable display and stop display of a decorative symbol, It is configured to be capable of executing a suppression notification effect for notifying that the suppression function that stops the progress of the game is operating by satisfying a first condition regarding the player's profit acquisition situation, It is configured to be capable of executing a prior notification effect for notifying that it is approaching a situation where the suppression function operates by satisfying a second condition regarding the player's profit acquisition situation, In a predetermined situation where the special symbol is being variably displayed, the decorative symbol is configured to be capable of executing a predetermined operation, Even if the second condition is satisfied during the execution of the predetermined operation of the decorative symbol, the predetermined operation can be continuously executed without being forcibly terminated, while if the first condition is satisfied during the execution of the predetermined operation of the decorative symbol, the predetermined operation is configured to be forcibly terminated, The first condition is that the difference between the number of game values used and the number of game values given reaches a first specified value, and the second condition is that the difference between the number of game values used and the number of game values given reaches a second specified value different from the first specified value, During the execution of the special game, upon the cumulative value of the number of game values given to the player by the insertion of a game ball into the big winning port reaching a specific value, it is configured to be capable of displaying a specific value corresponding display indicating that the cumulative value of the number of game values has reached the specific value, There are multiple types of specific values, and at least one of the multiple types of specific values is set to a numerical value that does not exceed the difference between the first specified value and the second specified value, During the execution of a special game, in a situation where the difference between the number of game value points used and the number of game value points awarded when one game ball enters the big winning hole has reached the first specified value, and in a situation where the cumulative value of the game value points awarded to the player when one more game ball enters the big winning hole reaches a specific value, if a power failure occurs and then power is turned on without a RAM clear operation and the power failure is restored, even if one game ball enters the big winning hole, the specific value corresponding display is not displayed. On the other hand, it is configured to be able to execute a suppression notification effect at a predetermined timing. It is provided with a variable member that changes between an open state in which a game ball can enter and a closed state in which it is more difficult for a game ball to enter than in the open state. It has a normal ball entry state and a ball entry easy state in which the ease of entry of a game ball into the variable member is enhanced compared to the normal ball entry state, and is configured to be able to execute the setting of the normal ball entry state or the setting of the ball entry easy state. When the variable member changes from the closed state to the open state in the ball entry easy state, it is configured to be able to maintain the open state for a specific period. When the difference between the number of game value points used and the number of game value points awarded in a situation where it is in the ball entry easy state and the variable member is in the open state reaches the first specified value, even in a situation before the elapse of the specific period, the variable member is configured to be forcibly changed from the open state to the closed state. A pachinko gaming machine characterized by the above.

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