Game machine, game control method, and computer readable storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016180642-A1
Application number	US-201615054018-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2013
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A game machine comprises: a lottery mechanism where a plurality of pockets, each being correlated to each choice, are provided so that at least one choice is selected from a plurality of choices, and a lottery that by making a ball enter any one of the plurality of pockets, the choice correlated to the pocket is selected is executed; and a discharging mechanism which discharges a ball to the lottery mechanism, wherein the discharging mechanism is controlled so that at least one ball is discharged to the lottery mechanism as one lottery unit, and further controlled so that the game body is discharged continuously to repeat the lottery by the lottery unit, as long as a predetermined end condition is not established.

First claim

1 . A game machine comprising:
a lottery mechanism where a plurality of pockets, each of the plurality of pockets being correlated to at least one choice out of a plurality of choices, are provided in order to select the at least one choice, and a lottery is executed in such a way that by making a game body enter any one of the plurality of pockets, the at least one choice correlated to the pocket is selected; a discharging mechanism which discharges at least one game body to the lottery mechanism; and a computer, wherein the computer functions by executing a computer program, as a discharging control device which is configured to control the discharging mechanism so that at least one game body is discharged to the lottery mechanism as one lottery unit, and have a continuous discharging control device which is configured to control the discharging mechanism so that the at least one game body is discharged continuously to repeat the lottery by the lottery unit, as long as a predetermined end condition is not established.

2 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the continuous discharging control device is configured to end the lottery of a next lottery unit in a case where the predetermined end condition is established.

3 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the discharging control device is configured to control to make the discharging mechanism discharge to the lottery mechanism, a plurality of game bodies set as the lottery unit.

4 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the discharging control device is configured to control the discharging mechanism so that the number of game bodies to be discharged to the lottery mechanism, set as the lottery unit, is changed depending on the number of times that the lottery by the lottery unit was repeated.

5 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of pockets includes an end pocket correlated to a choice which ends the lottery, and the predetermined end condition is that the game body enters the end pocket.

6 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of pockets includes an ineffective pocket correlated to a choice which makes establishment of the predetermined end condition ineffective, and the continuous discharging control device is configured to, when the game body enters the ineffective pocket, make the establishment of the predetermined end condition ineffective in the lottery of a next lottery unit.

7 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer further functions as a game executing device which is configured to execute a game which progresses based on a lottery result of the lottery mechanism, and the game executing device is configured to end a stage of the game ongoing when a predetermined game condition is established, and execute a new stage, while the lottery continues.

8 . The game machine according to claim 7 , wherein
the game executing device is configured to change depending on the lottery result, an initial setting of the new stage to be executed next.

9 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of choices are correlated to a plurality of kinds of attributions respectively, and the computer further functions as a dividend giving device which is configured to, when the predetermined end condition is established, give a dividend depending on the number of selections which is tallied for each kind of at least a part of the attributions.

10 . The game machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the lottery mechanism is provided with: a first lottery portion where a part of the plurality of pockets are arranged along a circumferential direction, the first lottery portion being driven to rotate around an axial line; a second lottery portion where remaining pockets and at least one guiding passage for guiding the game body to the first lottery portion are arranged so as to surround a circumference of the first lottery portion, the second lottery portion being driven to rotate integrally with the first lottery portion; and a rotational portion which is located between the first lottery portion and the second lottery portion, and driven to rotate around the axial line in a direction opposite to a direction where the first lottery portion and the second lottery portion rotate.

11 . A game control method for making a computer of a game machine function, the game machine comprising: a lottery mechanism where a plurality of pockets, each of the plurality of pockets being correlated to at least one choice out of a plurality of choices, are provided in order to select the at least one choice, and a lottery is executed in such a way that by making a game body enter any one of the plurality of pockets, the at least one choice correlated to the pocket is selected; and a discharging mechanism which discharges at least one game body to the lottery mechanism, wherein
the game control method making the computer execute a discharging control step of controlling the discharging mechanism so that at least one game body is discharged to the lottery mechanism as one lottery unit, and in the discharging control step, further execute a continuous discharging control step of controlling the discharging mechanism so that the at least one game body is discharged continuously to repeat the lottery by the lottery unit, as long as a predetermined end condition is not established.

12 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for making a computer of a game machine function, the game machine comprising: a lottery mechanism where a plurality of pockets, each of the plurality of pockets being correlated to at least one choice out of a plurality of choices, are provided in order to select the at least one choice, and a lottery is executed in such a way that by making a game body enter any one of the plurality of pockets, the at least one choice correlated to the pocket is selected; and a discharging mechanism which discharges at least one game body to the lottery mechanism, wherein
the computer program makes the computer function as a discharging control device which is configured to control the discharging mechanism so that at least one game body is discharged to the lottery mechanism as one lottery unit, and further makes the computer as the discharging control device function as a continuous discharging control device which is configured to control the discharging mechanism so that the at least one game body is discharged continuously to repeat the lottery by the lottery unit, as long as a predetermined end condition is not established.

Assignees

• Konami Digital Entertainment

Inventors

• Azuma Shogo
• Ito Shinya
• Yamaguchi Junichi

Classifications

• G07C15/001

  with balls or the like · CPC title

• A63F5/0088

  with a plurality of balls used during one game · CPC title

• G07F17/3213

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title

• G07F17/329

  Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards · CPC title

• G07F17/3202

  Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof · CPC title