JP7604782B2 - Gaming Machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

Conventional examples of gaming machines include pachinko machines and slot machines. Some gaming machines of this type are equipped with decorative parts that have light-emitting areas (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

See JP 2012-100905 A (pages 4 to 8, figures 3 to 8)

However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, in conventional pachinko machines, for example, there is a problem in that it is difficult to suitably change the light-emitting area.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide an amusement machine that can change the light-emitting area in an optimal manner.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.
That is, the invention described in claim 1 is as follows:
The inner frame and
A gaming machine having a front frame that can be freely opened and closed relative to the inner frame,
The gaming machine includes:
a cover portion disposed forward of the irradiating means so as to cover the irradiating means and capable of transmitting the irradiated light ;
The light is irradiated from the irradiating means to the cover portion, and the irradiated light is transmitted through the cover portion and is visible to a player positioned in front of the front frame.
The gaming machine includes:
At least the cover portion is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position,
In a situation where the cover part is moved to the first position, the cover part moved to the first position by the light irradiated from the irradiating means is irradiated in a first irradiated manner , and in a situation where the cover part is moved to the second position, the cover part moved to the second position by the light irradiated from the irradiating means is irradiated in a second irradiated manner different from the first irradiated manner ,
the first position and the second position are positions separated from each other when viewed from the front of the gaming machine,
The gaming machine includes:
The cover portion is configured to be able to transition from the first irradiated state to the second irradiated state while facing the front side of the front frame.
It is characterized by the above.

[Functions and Effects] According to the invention described in claim 1, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

The gaming machine of this invention can provide a gaming machine that can change the light-emitting area in an optimal manner.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the pachinko machine, showing the state in which the illumination cover is attached, taken along the line AA in FIG. 1 . This is a left side view of the pachinko machine, showing the state in which the illumination cover has been attached, along the cross section BB of Figure 1. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pachinko machine. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. FIG. 1A shows the display contents of the third symbol display device, and FIG. 1B shows a reserved display. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of various counters used in game control. FIG. (a) is a table for drawing the jackpot for special chart 1, and (b) is a table for drawing the jackpot for special chart 2. This is a table for selecting the variation pattern of the main decorative pattern. 13A is an example of the variable display presentation for a normal jackpot reach and a normal miss reach, and FIG. 13B is an example of the variable display presentation for a super jackpot reach and a super miss reach. 13A is an example of a variable display presentation for a jackpot super reach and a miss super reach, and FIG. 13B is an example of a variable display presentation for a jackpot super reach and a miss super reach. This is a table for determining an ending performance pattern. 4 is a flowchart showing main processing by a main control device. 4 is a flowchart showing normal processing by the main control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the first pattern change processing. 13 is a flowchart showing a fluctuation start process. 13 is a flowchart showing a next game state setting process. A flowchart showing the process of opening and closing the large prize opening. 13 is a flowchart showing a timer interrupt process. A flowchart showing the start winning processing. 13 is a flowchart showing a lottery process for pre-reading. 13 is a flowchart showing a launch control process. 13 is a flowchart showing an NMI interrupt process. 13 is a flowchart showing the main processing by the dispensing control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a dispensing control process. 13 is a flowchart showing a prize ball control process. 13 is a flowchart showing a ball loan control process. 13 is a flowchart showing main processing by a sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing normal processing by a sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing customer waiting presentation processing by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing frame button input monitoring and performance processing by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a decision button input monitoring and presentation process by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a selection button input monitoring and presentation process performed by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the performance execution management process performed by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a read-ahead fluctuation pattern designation command reception process performed by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the opening/closing mode (jackpot) display setting process by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a variable display mode setting process by the sub-control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a next game status display mode setting process performed by the sub-control device. 4 is a flowchart showing normal processing of the display control device. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of switching a display mode or the like by a display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a pattern row variation display process performed by a display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a specific operation screen display process performed by the display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a big win opening round display process by a display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing the big win ending display process performed by the display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a high probability/support state transition display process performed by a display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a low probability/support state transition display process by a display control device. 13 is a flowchart showing a specific operation period notifying process performed by the display control device. A figure explaining the display mode during a specific operation period in the third pattern display device. A figure explaining the display mode during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation of the main decorative pattern. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the display mode during a specific operation period after a reach is achieved. This is a diagram illustrating the display mode during a specific operation period after the reach is achieved, following Figure 53. 13 is a diagram illustrating the display mode when the decision button is left pressed during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the display mode when the decision button and the selection button are pressed during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation. FIG. 13A is a table for drawing a jackpot for special chart 1 in the second embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a table for drawing a jackpot for special chart 2 in the second embodiment. 13 is a table for setting an ending performance pattern. 13A is a table for drawing a jackpot for special chart 1 in the third embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a table for drawing a jackpot for special chart 2 in the third embodiment. 13 is a table for setting an ending performance pattern. 13A to 13C are diagrams for explaining a display mode of specific operation period end approach information in Example 4, and (b1) to (b3) are diagrams for explaining a display mode different from (a1) to (a3). (a1) to (a3) are figures explaining the display mode of the next game state approach information in Example 5, and (b1) to (b3) are figures explaining a display mode different from (a1) to (a3). 13A to 13E are diagrams illustrating the display mode of the next game state approaching information in the sixth embodiment. 13A to 13F are diagrams illustrating the display mode of the next game state approaching information in the seventh embodiment. 13A to 13F are diagrams illustrating the display mode of the next game state approaching information in the eighth embodiment. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 9. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 10. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 11. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period during a jackpot round play in Example 12. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period during a reach display performance in Example 13. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period during a reach display performance in Example 14. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 15. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 16. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 17. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a jackpot round game in Example 18. A figure explaining the display mode of a specific operation period during a reach display performance in Example 19. A figure explaining a display mode different from that of Figure 76 during a specific operation period during a reach display performance. 20(a) is a table for drawing the jackpot for special chart 1 in Example 20, and (b) is a table for drawing the jackpot for special chart 2. This is a table for selecting the main decorative pattern change pattern of Special Chart 1 in Example 20. 20 is a table for determining an ending performance pattern according to the twentieth embodiment. A figure explaining the display mode from the reach display effect to the big win round display effect. 23 is a flowchart illustrating the auxiliary performance decision processing by the display control device 45 of the twenty-first embodiment. 13A is a flowchart illustrating a one-shot notification lottery process performed by the display control device 45, and FIG. 13B is a flowchart illustrating a one-shot notification display process performed by the display control device 45. FIG. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an ending effect pattern determination table. A figure explaining the display mode from the reach display effect to the big win ending display effect. A figure explaining a table for determining an ending performance pattern in Example 22. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another display mode of the big win ending display effect. This is a front view of a pachinko machine of Example 23 with an illumination cover of a different size from that shown in Figure 1 attached. This is a right side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 88, showing the CC cross section with different sized illuminated covers attached. This is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 88, showing the state in which different sizes of illuminated covers are attached in the DD cross section. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating the adjustment of the light-emitting area when illumination covers of different sizes are attached. 23A and 23B are diagrams for explaining adjustment of a light emitting region in Example 24. FIG. 25 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a twenty-fifth embodiment. This is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 93, showing the E-section with the illuminated cover attached. FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine with illumination covers of different sizes attached. This is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 95, showing the FF cross section with different sized illuminated covers attached. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating the adjustment of the light-emitting area when illumination covers of different sizes are attached. 13 is a flowchart showing normal processing by a sub-control device. FIG. 26 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a twenty-sixth embodiment. This is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 99, showing the state in which the illuminated cover is attached at the GG cross section. FIG. 2 is a front view of a pachinko machine with an illuminated cover attached that has a different light-emitting area. This is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 101, showing the HH cross section with different sized illuminated covers attached. 13 is a flowchart showing normal processing by a sub-control device. FIG. 27 is a front view of the game board of Example 27. This is a cross-sectional view II of the game board shown in Figure 104, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illuminated part. A front view of the game board with the movable illumination part protruding. A cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 106, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part. A diagram showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illuminated part in Example 28. FIG. 29 is a front view of the game board of Example 29. This is a KK cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 109, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part. This is a KK cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 109, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area when the movable illumination section is protruding. FIG. 30 is a front view of the game board of Example 30. This is an LL cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 112, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illuminated part. A front view of the game board with the movable illumination part protruding. This is an MM cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 114, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illuminated section. 3(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the mounting direction of the decorative illumination cover and the separate decorative illumination cover of Example 31. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the change in the light-emitting area of the illuminated cover of Example 32 before and after the change. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the state before and after the change in the light-emitting area of the third illuminated cover of Example 33.

This specification also discloses the following inventions relating to gaming machines and the problems that the inventions aim to solve:

<First issue>
Conventionally, as this type of gaming machine, there is a gaming machine that executes a transition display effect such as a jackpot ending effect that displays a jackpot ending image on a display device when the gaming state transitions from a predetermined gaming state such as a jackpot round gaming state to the next gaming state (for example, JP2013-230281A (pages 28-29, Figs. 9 and 10)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, this transition display effect is included in a predetermined game state when this effect is started, but in conventional gaming machines, this transition display effect may be mistakenly recognized as being included in the next game state. In this case, the player may start an operation required for the next game state (for example, an operation to launch a game ball) even during the ending effect. In that case, various disadvantages may occur due to the mistaken recognition that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is the next game state. For example, when a transition is made to a support game state after a big win round game state, if the game ball is launched before the transition to the support game state, the ball will be wasted without receiving the benefit of the support game state.
The invention relating to (A1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce disadvantages caused by mistaking the current point in time when the transition display performance is being executed for the next gaming state.
In order to achieve the above object, the invention related to (A1) below has the following configuration.

(A1) an execution means for executing a transition display effect (e.g., a jackpot ending effect) for displaying a predetermined image on a display means from a predetermined timing at the end of a predetermined game state (e.g., after the end of a final round) to a start timing of the next game state (e.g., a support game state) when the game state transitions from a predetermined game state (e.g., a jackpot round game state) to a next game state (e.g., a support game state);
and a notification means for notifying the player of non-arrival indication information (e.g., right-hit information 44k during ending, information 44l about approach of next game state, and ending countdown information 44v, which will be described later) suggesting that the timing for starting the next game state has not yet arrived while the transition display performance is being executed.

According to the gaming machine described in (A1) above, when the gaming state transitions from a predetermined gaming state to the next gaming state, the execution means executes a transition display effect that displays a predetermined image on the display means from a predetermined timing at the end of the predetermined gaming state to the start timing of the next gaming state. During the execution of this transition display effect, the notification means notifies the player of upcoming information that suggests to the player that the start timing of the second gaming state has not yet arrived. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is the predetermined gaming state, in other words, that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is not yet the next gaming state. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by the mistaken belief that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is the next gaming state.

(A2) In the gaming machine described in (A1),
The predetermined gaming state is a first gaming state (e.g., a jackpot round gaming state) that is advantageous to the player,
the next gaming state is a second gaming state (e.g., a high probability/support state, a low probability/support state) that is a more advantageous gaming state than the first gaming state and allows the player to acquire a more advantageous gaming value while operating the operating means;
The gaming machine is characterized in that the information indicating that a beneficial gaming state has not yet arrived (for example, right-hit information 44k during ending, information 44l about approaching next gaming state, and ending countdown information 44v, which will be described later) is included in the information indicating that the timing to start the second gaming state has not yet arrived during the execution of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (A2), the next gaming state (second gaming state) to which a predetermined gaming state (first gaming state) is transitioned is a favorable gaming state different from the first gaming state, and includes a gaming state in which a player can acquire a different favorable gaming value while operating the operating means. Therefore, the player is likely to operate the operating means to acquire a different favorable gaming value based on the mistaken belief that the current time when the transition display performance is being executed is the second gaming state, but since this operation is performed during the first gaming state, the player cannot acquire this different favorable gaming value. However, during the execution of the transition display performance, information suggesting that the advantageous gaming state has not yet arrived, which suggests to the player that the start timing of the second gaming state has not arrived, is notified, so that the player is less likely to mistakenly believe that the current time when the transition display performance is being executed is the second gaming state. In addition, since it is possible to suppress the player from operating the operating means under the mistaken belief that the different favorable gaming value can be acquired, it is also possible to reduce the amount of wasted operations. This reduces the disadvantages that may arise from mistaking the current time when the transition display effect is being executed for the second gaming state.

(A3) In the gaming machine described in (A2),
the first game state is a round game state in which a round game is played a predetermined number of times, with one round being the time from when the specific ball entry means is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of a lottery by the lottery means triggered by the entry of a ball into the ball entry means being a specific result;
The transition display effect is an effect at the end of a round game state in which a predetermined image is displayed on a display means from a predetermined timing after the specific ball entry means is closed in the final round of the round game state to the start timing of the next game state (the start timing of the support game state).

According to the gaming machine described in (A3), the first gaming state is a round gaming state in which a predetermined number of round games are played, with one round being the time from when the specific ball entry means is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of a lottery by the lottery means triggered by a ball entering the ball entry means being a specific result. The transition display effect is a round gaming state end effect that displays a predetermined image on the display means from a predetermined timing after the specific ball entry means is closed in the final round of the round gaming state, to the start timing of the next gaming state. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by mistaking the current time when the round gaming state end effect is being executed for the next gaming state.

(A4) In the gaming machine described in (A3),
a variable ball entry means which changes between an open state in which the game ball can easily enter the game and a closed state in which the game ball can hardly enter the game, and the entry of the ball serves as a trigger for a lottery by the lottery means;
and an actuation ball entry means for allowing a game ball to enter the game, the actuation ball entry being a trigger for an actuation lottery for actuating the variable ball entry means.
The second game state is a support game state in which the result of the operation lottery based on the entry of the operation ball entry means is likely to be a specific result that activates the variable ball entry means,
The information indicating that the advantageous gaming state has not yet arrived indicates to the player that the timing to start the support gaming state has not arrived during the execution of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (A4), the variable ball entry means is a ball entry means that changes between an open state where the game ball is easy to enter and a closed state where the game ball is difficult to enter, and the entry of the ball triggers a lottery in the lottery means. The operating ball entry means is a ball entry means into which the game ball enters, and the entry of the ball triggers an operating lottery to activate the variable ball entry means. The second game state is a support game state that makes it easier for the result of the operating lottery based on the entry of the ball into the operating ball entry means to be a specific result that activates the variable ball entry means. The information suggesting that the advantageous game state has not yet arrived suggests to the player that the timing to start the support game state has not arrived during the execution of the transition display performance. As a result, the player is likely to accidentally launch the game ball during the execution of the transition display performance before the transition to the support game state, in order to have the game ball enter the operating ball entry means as soon as possible in the support game state. In this regard, by viewing the information suggesting that a favorable gaming state has not yet arrived while the transition display effect is being executed, it is possible to reduce the disadvantages that arise from the mistaken belief that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is a support gaming state.

(A5) In the gaming machine described in (A3),
the second gaming state is a high probability gaming state in which the probability that the result of the lottery by the lottery means will be the specific result is higher than in a normal gaming state;
The information indicating that the advantageous gaming state has not yet arrived indicates to the player that the timing for starting the high probability gaming state has not arrived during the execution of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (A5) above, the second gaming state is a high-probability gaming state in which the probability that the result of the lottery by the lottery means will be a specific result is higher than in the normal gaming state. The information suggesting that a favorable gaming state has not yet arrived suggests to the player that the timing to start the high-probability gaming state has not yet arrived while the transition display effect is being executed. This makes it possible to reduce disadvantages caused by the player mistakingly believing that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is a high-probability gaming state.

(A6) In the gaming machine described in (A4),
The second gaming state is a supported high-probability gaming state in which the probability that the result of the lottery by the lottery means will be a specific result and the probability that the result of the activation lottery by the activation lottery means will be a specific result are higher than in a normal gaming state, and the information suggesting that a favorable gaming state has not yet arrived suggests to the player that the timing to start the supported high-probability gaming state has not arrived during the execution of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (A6) above, the second gaming state is a specific high-probability gaming state in which the probability that the result of the lottery by the lottery means will be a specific result and the probability that the result of the activation lottery by the activation lottery means will be a specific result are higher than in the normal gaming state. The information suggesting that a favorable gaming state has not yet arrived suggests to the player that the timing to start the supported high-probability gaming state has not yet arrived while the transition display effect is being executed. This makes it possible to reduce disadvantages caused by the player mistakingly believing that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is a supported high-probability gaming state.

(A7) In the gaming machine described in (A1),
The transition display performance is a performance in which a plurality of types of images are consecutively executed in a predetermined combination,
when the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a specific result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the type of the specific result;
The gaming machine is characterized in that the not-yet-arrival indication information indicates to the player that the timing to start the next game state has not arrived until the multiple types of images have finished being executed in succession in the specified combination.

According to the gaming machine described in (A7), the transition display performance is a performance in which multiple types of images are executed in a predetermined combination in succession. When the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a specific result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination depending on the type of the specific result. Therefore, in the past, if a player mistakenly believed that the end timing of the display time of a certain image in the transition display performance was the end timing of a series of transition display performances, the player might mistakenly believe that the display time of the following image is transitioning to the next game state, which could result in a disadvantage. However, in the present invention, the not-yet-arrival suggestion information suggests to the player that the start timing of the next game state has not arrived until the time when the multiple types of images are executed in succession in the predetermined combination. As a result, during the transition display performance, the not-yet-arrival suggestion information suggests that the start timing of the next game state has not arrived until the time when the multiple types of images are executed in succession in the predetermined combination, thereby reducing the risk of suffering the above-mentioned disadvantage.

(A8) In the gaming machine described in (A7),
the transition display performance has a plurality of combination patterns formed by combining predetermined images from the plurality of types of images,
The combination pattern differs depending on the type of the specific game state.

According to the gaming machine described in (A8) above, the transition display effect has a plurality of combination patterns that are made up of combinations of predetermined images from among a plurality of types of images, and the combination patterns differ depending on the type of specific gaming state, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player depending on the type of specific gaming state can be shown to the player as the transition display effect.

(A9) In the gaming machine according to (A8),
The transition display effect corresponding to the specific game state of a predetermined type has a predetermined combination pattern in which the plurality of types of images are combined in a predetermined combination,
The gaming machine is characterized in that the transition display performance corresponding to the specific game state of another type is formed by reducing one or more images from the multiple types of images included in the predetermined combination pattern.

According to the gaming machine described in (A9) above, the transition display effects corresponding to a specific type of specific gaming state have a predetermined combination pattern in which multiple types of images are combined in a predetermined combination, and the transition display effects corresponding to another type of specific gaming state have a different combination pattern formed by removing one or more of the multiple types of images included in this predetermined combination pattern. This reduces the processing burden on the gaming machine when determining the transition display effects corresponding to the type of specific gaming state. Also, since the combination pattern of the transition display effects is set for each type of specific gaming state, it becomes easier to provide the player with transition display effects associated with the type of specific gaming state.

(A10) In the gaming machine described in (A1),
The transition display performance is a performance in which a plurality of types of images are consecutively executed in a predetermined combination,
When the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a specific result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the type of the identification information variable display performance corresponding to the specific result,
The gaming machine is characterized in that the not-yet-arrival indication information indicates to the player that the timing to start the next game state has not arrived until the multiple types of images have finished being executed in succession in the specified combination.

According to the gaming machine described in (A10), the transition display effect is executed by successively executing a plurality of types of images in a predetermined combination. When the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a specific result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the identification information variable display effect corresponding to the specific result. This makes it possible to reduce the disadvantage caused by the same transition display effect being displayed when the specific result is the same as the specific result that generates a certain type of specific game state, but the type of identification information variable display effect leading to that specific result is different. Furthermore, during the transition display effect, the not-yet-arrival suggestion information suggests that the start timing of the next game state has not arrived until the timing at which the successive execution of a plurality of types of images in the predetermined combination ends, so that even if the same specific result is achieved but a different transition display effect is displayed, the risk of suffering the above-mentioned disadvantage is reduced.

(A11) In the gaming machine described in (A9),
the transition display performance has a plurality of combination patterns formed by combining predetermined images from the plurality of types of images,
The combination pattern varies depending on the length of time during which the variable identification information display performance is performed.

According to the gaming machine described in (A11) above, the transition display performance has a plurality of combination patterns that are made up of combinations of predetermined images from a plurality of types of images, and the combination patterns differ depending on the length of time that the identification information variable display performance is performed, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player can be shown to the player as the transition display performance depending on the length of time of the identification information variable display performance.

(A12) In the gaming machine according to (A9),
the transition display performance has a plurality of combination patterns formed by combining predetermined images from the plurality of types of images,
The combination pattern varies depending on an expectation of the specific result occurring in the identification information variable display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (A12), the transition display performance has a plurality of combination patterns formed by combining predetermined images from a plurality of types of images, and the combination patterns differ according to the expectation of a specific result occurring in the identification information variable display performance, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player according to the expectation of a specific result occurring in the identification information variable display performance can be shown to the player as the transition display performance.

(A13) In the gaming machine described in (A9),
the transition display performance has a plurality of combination patterns formed by combining predetermined images from the plurality of types of images,
The combination pattern differs depending on the number of times the identification information variable display performance is executed from the occurrence of the specific game state last time until the occurrence of the specific game state next.

According to the gaming machine described in (A13), the transition display effect has a plurality of combination patterns formed by combining predetermined images from a plurality of types of images, and the combination patterns differ according to the number of times the identification information variable display effect is executed from the occurrence of the previous specific game state until the occurrence of the next specific game state, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player can be shown to the player as the transition display effect according to the number of times the identification information variable display effect is executed from the occurrence of the previous specific game state until the occurrence of the next specific game state.

(A14) In the gaming machine described in (A1),
A gaming machine characterized in that the combination pattern differs depending on whether the result of the lottery by the lottery means triggered by a ball entering the ball entry means is a specific result, or whether the result of the lottery by the lottery means triggered by a ball entering the variable ball entry means is a specific result.

According to the gaming machine described in (A14) above, the combination pattern differs between the combinations of the multiple types of images in the transition display performance depending on whether the result of the lottery by the lottery means triggered by a ball entering the ball entry means is a specific result, or whether the result of the lottery by the lottery means triggered by a ball entering the variable ball entry means is a specific result. This makes it possible to show the player a combination of images that is preferable to the player as the transition display performance depending on the difference in the trigger of the lottery.

(A15) In the gaming machine described in (A3),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the not-yet-arrival indication information indicates to a player that the timing for starting the next gaming state has not yet arrived immediately after the end of the final round in the round gaming state.

According to the gaming machine described in (A15) above, the not-yet-arrival indication information indicates to the player that the timing for starting the next gaming state has not yet arrived immediately after the end of the final round in the round gaming state, thereby reducing the disadvantages that arise as a result of the player mistakingly believing that the transition to the next gaming state has occurred immediately after the end of the final round in the round gaming state.

(A16) In the gaming machine described in (A3),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the not-yet-arrival indication information indicates to the player that the timing to start the next game state has not yet arrived, simultaneously with the execution of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (A16) above, the transition display effect is executed, and at the same time, a hint is given to the player that the timing to start the next gaming state has not yet arrived, so that it is possible to reduce disadvantages that arise as a result of the player mistakenly believing that the game is moving to the next gaming state at the same time as the transition display effect is executed.

(A17) In the gaming machine described in (A3),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the not-yet-arrival indication information indicates to the player that the timing to start the next game state has not arrived after a predetermined time has elapsed since the execution of the transition-time display effect while the transition-time display effect is being executed.

The gaming machine described in (A17) above indicates to the player that the timing to start the next gaming state has not yet arrived when the transition display effect is being executed and a predetermined time has elapsed since the execution of the transition display effect, thereby reducing the disadvantages that arise as a result of the player mistakenly believing that the transition to the next gaming state will occur after the predetermined time has elapsed since the execution of the transition display effect, even though the transition display effect is being executed.

(A18) An execution means for executing a transition display effect (e.g., a jackpot ending effect, a player's character selection effect in a battle-type reach development effect) that displays a predetermined image on the display means from a predetermined timing of the predetermined state (e.g., after the end of the final round, when the player's character selection starts) to a predetermined timing of the next state (e.g., the start timing of the support game state, the start timing of the battle in a battle-type reach development effect) when the game state transitions from a predetermined state (e.g., a jackpot round game state, a player's character selection state in a battle-type reach development effect) to a next state (e.g., a support game state, a battle execution state in a battle-type reach development effect);
and a notification means for notifying the player of non-arrival indication information (e.g., specific operation period end approach information 44e, right hit during ending information 44k, next game state approach information 44l, ending countdown information 44v) suggesting to the player that the timing to start the next state has not arrived while the transition display performance is being executed.

According to the gaming machine described in (A18), when the gaming state transitions from a predetermined state (e.g., a jackpot round gaming state, a state in which one's own character can be selected in a battle-type reach development presentation) to the next state (e.g., a support gaming state, a battle execution state in a battle-type reach development presentation), the gaming machine is provided with an execution means for executing a transition display presentation (e.g., a jackpot ending presentation, a battle-type reach development presentation) that displays a predetermined image on the display means from a predetermined timing of the predetermined state (e.g., after the end of the final round, when one's own character selection begins) to a predetermined timing of the next state (e.g., the start timing of the support gaming state, the start timing of the battle in a battle-type reach development presentation), and a notification means for notifying the player of non-arrival suggestion information (e.g., specific operation period end approach information 44e, right hit information during ending 44k, next gaming state approach information 44l, ending countdown information 44v) that suggests to the player that the start timing of the next state has not arrived during the execution of the transition display presentation. This makes it easier for players to recognize that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is a predetermined state, in other words, that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is not yet the next state. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by mistakenly believing that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is the next state.

(A19) In the gaming machine according to (A18),
The predetermined state is a predetermined game state (e.g., a jackpot round game state), the next state is the next game state that occurs after the predetermined game state (e.g., a support game state), the predetermined timing of the predetermined state is the end of the predetermined game state (e.g., the timing after the end of the final round), and the predetermined timing of the next state is the start timing of the next game state (the start timing of a support game state), and the gaming machine is characterized in that it notifies the yet-to-arrive indication information (e.g., information 44e indicating approach to the end of a specific operation period, information 44k indicating right-hitting during ending, information 44l indicating approach to next game state, and information 44v indicating ending countdown.

The gaming machine described in (A19) above can realize the gaming machines described in (A1) to (A17).

(A20) In the gaming machine according to (A18),
The predetermined state is a predetermined display state (a state in which one's own character can be selected) in a predetermined display presentation (for example, a battle-type reach development presentation), the next state is a next display state (a battle execution state) that occurs after the predetermined display state in the predetermined display presentation, the predetermined timing of the predetermined state is a predetermined timing in a predetermined display presentation (for example, the timing at which one's own character selection starts in a reach development presentation), and the predetermined timing of the next state is a predetermined timing in the next display state (for example, the timing at which the battle starts in a battle-type reach development presentation), and the gaming machine is characterized in that it notifies the player of the upcoming information (for example, information 44e indicating the approach of the end of a specific operation period).

According to the gaming machine described in (A20), the predetermined state is a predetermined display state (a state in which one's own character can be selected) in a predetermined display presentation (for example, a battle-type reach development presentation), the next state is a next display state (a battle execution state) that occurs after the predetermined display state in the predetermined display presentation, the predetermined timing of the predetermined state is a predetermined timing in the predetermined display presentation (for example, the timing at which one's own character starts to be selected in a reach development presentation), the predetermined timing of the next state is a predetermined timing in the next display state (for example, the timing at which the battle starts in a battle-type reach development presentation), and not-yet-arrival suggestion information (for example, specific operation period end approach information 44e) is notified. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the current time when the transition display presentation is being executed is a predetermined display state in the predetermined display presentation, in other words, that the current time when the transition display presentation is being executed is not yet the next display state in the predetermined display presentation. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantage caused by the mistaken belief that the current time when the transition display presentation is being executed is the next display state in the predetermined display presentation.

(A21) In the gaming machine according to (A20),
The transition display effect (for example, a player's character selection effect in a battle-type reach development effect) is a display effect in which a plurality of types of images (for example, first player information PYA, second player information PYB, third player information PYC, and fourth player information) are continuously executed in a predetermined combination,
When the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a specific result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the type of the specific result (for example, in the case of a special jackpot, the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD are displayed, and in the case of a normal jackpot, the first player information PYA to the third player information PYC are displayed).
The gaming machine is characterized in that the not-yet-arrival suggestion information (e.g., specific operation period end approaching information 44e) suggests to the player that the timing to start the next display state has not arrived until the timing at which the multiple types of images have been continuously executed in the specified combination (e.g., until the display of the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD has been completed twice).

According to the gaming machine described in (A21), the transition display effect (for example, the player's character selection effect in a battle-type reach development effect) is a predetermined combination of a plurality of types of images (for example, first player information PYA, second player information PYB, third player information PYC, and fourth player information PYD), and when the result of the lottery by the lottery means is a specific result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the type of the specific result (for example, in the case of a special jackpot, the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD are displayed, and in the case of a normal jackpot, the first player information PYA to the third player information PYC are displayed), and the not-yet-arrival suggestion information (for example, the specific operation period end approach information 44e) suggests to the player that the start timing of the next display state has not arrived until the predetermined combination of a plurality of types of images has been displayed in succession (for example, in the case of a special jackpot, until the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD have been displayed twice). As a result, in the past, if a player mistakenly believed that the end of the display time of a certain image in a transition display performance was the end of a series of transition display performances, the player would mistakenly believe that the display time of the following image was transitioning to the next game state, which could result in a disadvantage. However, in the present invention, during the transition display performance, the not-yet-arrival suggestion information suggests that the start timing of the next game state has not arrived until the timing at which the multiple types of images are continuously executed in the predetermined combination ends, thereby reducing the risk of suffering the above-mentioned disadvantage.

<Second issue>
Conventionally, as a gaming machine of this type, for example, when the player operates the operation means within a predetermined period during which the identification information is displayed and changes (for example, a period during which the patterns are rapidly changing), an image for a volume adjustment operation is displayed to allow the player to perform a setting operation such as adjusting the volume using the operation means, but when the operation means is operated outside of the predetermined period during which the identification information is displayed and changes (for example, a reach display period), the image for the volume adjustment operation is not displayed (for example, JP 2016-193546 A (page 43, FIG. 28)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
In other words, even though the specified period during the variable display of the identification information has passed, it is easy to mistakenly believe that this specified period has not passed, and the period for volume adjustment operation passes without the player being able to perform volume adjustment operation, meaning that the player cannot enjoy the variable display of the identification information at a comfortable volume.
The invention relating to (B1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the disadvantages caused by the mistaken belief that the current point in time during the display of changing identification information is capable of displaying an image for a specific operation.

(B1) an execution means for, when a player operates an operation means (e.g., the decision button 81) within a predetermined period (e.g., a display period of the normal screen 43a, the demo screen 43b, or the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c), displaying an image for a specific operation (e.g., displaying the specific operation screen 44b having a volume adjustment display) for allowing at least a specific operation (a volume adjustment operation) to be performed using the operation means, and not displaying the image for the specific operation when the operation means is operated outside the predetermined period (e.g., a reach display period);
and a notification means for notifying the player of non-arrival suggestion information (e.g., specific operation period information 44a and specific operation period end approaching information 44e, which will be described later) suggesting to the player that the end timing of the period in which the image for specific operation can be displayed has not arrived during the specified period.

According to the gaming machine described in (B1) above, when the player operates the operation means within a predetermined period, the execution means executes displaying an image for a specific operation for performing at least a specific operation using the operation means, and when the operation means is operated outside the predetermined period, the display of the image for a specific operation is not executed. The notification means notifies the player of upcoming indication information that suggests to the player that the end timing of the period during which the image for a specific operation can be displayed has not yet arrived during this predetermined period. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the end timing of the period during which the image for a specific operation can be displayed has not yet arrived at the present time, in other words, that the image for a specific operation can be displayed at the present time. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by the mistaken belief that the image for a specific operation can be displayed at the present time.

(B2) In the gaming machine described in (B1),
The gaming machine, characterized in that the upcoming indication information includes a specific operation possible period notification image that notifies that the specific operation image can be displayed during the period.

According to the gaming machine described in (B2) above, the upcoming hint information includes a specific operation possible period notification image that notifies the player that it is a period during which an image for a specific operation can be displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that a specific period during which the identification information is displayed variably is a period during which a specific operation can be performed.

(B3) In the gaming machine described in (B1),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the upcoming indication information includes a remaining time indication image that indicates the remaining time of the display period of the specific operation image or a remaining time indication image that indicates the remaining time of the display period of the specific operation image.

According to the gaming machine described in (B3) above, the upcoming indication information includes a remaining time indication image that indicates the remaining time during which the image for a specific operation can be displayed, or a remaining time indication image that indicates the remaining time during which the image for a specific operation can be displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize the remaining time during which a specific operation can be performed during a specified period during which the identification information is displayed variably.

(B4) A gaming machine characterized in that, when the image for a specific operation is displayed within the predetermined period, a non-notification period is provided thereafter during which the yet-to-arrive suggestion information is not notified.

According to the gaming machine described in (B4) above, if an image for a specific operation is displayed within a predetermined period, a non-notification period is set during which the image for a specific operation is not displayed. This reduces the occurrence of images for specific operations being displayed too frequently within a predetermined period (i.e., the player performing an operation to display an image for a specific operation), preventing the player from fully viewing the effects within the predetermined period.

(B5) In the gaming machine described in (B1),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the yet-to-arrive indication information continues to be notified even if the image for a specific operation is displayed within the predetermined period.

According to the gaming machine described in (B5) above, the upcoming information is still notified even if an image for a specific operation is displayed within the specified period. This makes it easy for the player to correct the content of the specific operation within the specified period, even if the player has performed a specific operation that causes an image for a specific operation to be displayed.

(B6) In the gaming machine described in (B1),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the yet-to-arrive indication information is displayed even while the specific operation image is being displayed.

According to the gaming machine described in (B6) above, the upcoming indication information is displayed even while the specific operation image is being displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize the end timing of the period when the specific operation image can be displayed even when he or she is looking at the display screen for the specific operation screen after seeing the upcoming indication information and operating the operating means.

(B7) In the gaming machine described in (B1),
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the image being displayed during the predetermined period is visible even while the image for the specific operation is being displayed.

According to the gaming machine described in (B7) above, the image being displayed during the specified period can be viewed even while the image for a specific operation is being displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize what the image being displayed during the specified period will be like even while the screen for a specific operation is being displayed.

(B8) In the gaming machine described in (B1),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the upcoming suggestion information can be displayed during a high-speed fluctuation period during the identification information fluctuation display period, and cannot be displayed after the high-speed fluctuation period even during the identification information fluctuation display period.

According to the gaming machine described in (B8) above, the upcoming suggestion information can be displayed during the high-speed fluctuation period during the identification information fluctuation display period, and cannot be displayed after the high-speed fluctuation period even during the identification information fluctuation display period. As a result, even during the identification information fluctuation display period, the period after the high-speed fluctuation period ends is the period when the player wants to see/see the information (display of the result of the fluctuation display or reach performance), so inconvenience caused by the display of an image for a specific operation can be reduced.

(B9) In the gaming machine according to (B1),
A gaming machine characterized in that the forthcoming indication information can be displayed during a transition presentation from the specific game state to the next game state when the specific game state transitions to the next game state and the specific operation image cannot be displayed in the next game state.

According to the gaming machine described in (B9) above, when a specific gaming state transitions to a next gaming state and an image for a specific operation cannot be displayed in the next gaming state, the information indicating the upcoming event can be displayed during the transition presentation from the specific gaming state to the next gaming state. This can reduce the inconvenience caused by not being able to perform a specific operation after the specific gaming state transitions to the next gaming state.

<Third issue>
Conventionally, as this type of gaming machine, there is, for example, a gaming machine in which a right-hand play is performed in a gaming state with a jackpot round gaming state and a subsequent support state (for example, JP 2013-255733 A (pages 2 to 3)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, in this type of gaming machine, since it is necessary to inform the player that it is a right-hand play during the big win round game state or during the game state with the support state after that, the main display screen or LED informs the player that it is a right-hand play. This right-hand play notification is also made during the ending performance that is performed after the end of the final round in the big win round game state. Therefore, even though the big win round game has ended and the support state has not started during the ending performance period, the player is tempted by the right-hand play notification to play a right-hand play, resulting in a problem of wasting balls.
The invention related to (C1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the disadvantages caused by mistakenly believing that the current time is the timing to execute a right-hit game.
The invention according to (C1) below has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.

(C1) a first notification means for notifying a player that a game will be played by right-hand hitting in a predetermined game state;
A second notification means for notifying a player that a game will be played by hitting the right hand in a next game state that occurs after the end of the predetermined game state;
When the predetermined game state is transitioned to the next game state, an execution means is provided for executing a transition display effect for displaying a predetermined image on a display means from the end timing of a right-hand hit game in the predetermined game state to the start timing of the next game state,
The first notification means notifies a right-hit in a first manner during right-hit play in the specified gaming state, and notifies a right-hit in a second manner that has changed to a manner different from the first manner while the transition display performance is being executed.

According to the gaming machine described in (C1), the first notification means issues a right-hit notification to notify the player that a game will be played by right-hitting in a predetermined gaming state. The second notification means issues a right-hit notification to notify the player that a game will be played by right-hitting in the next gaming state that occurs after the end of the predetermined gaming state. The execution means executes a transition display performance that displays a predetermined image on the display means from the end timing of right-hit play in the predetermined gaming state to the start timing of the next gaming state when transitioning from the predetermined gaming state to the next gaming state. The first notification means issues a right-hit notification in a first manner during right-hit play in the predetermined gaming state, and issues a right-hit notification in a second manner that has changed to a manner different from the first manner during the execution of the transition display performance. This makes it easier for the player to realize that the current time is not during right-hit play in a specified game state, but during the execution of a transition display effect, and that it is not the timing to execute right-hit play, because of the difference in notification mode between the right-hit notification that is given until the execution of the transition display effect in a specified game state and the right-hit notification while the transition display effect is being executed. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantages that arise from mistaking the current time during the execution of the transition display effect as the timing to execute right-hit play.

(C2) In the gaming machine described in (C1),
the predetermined game state is a round game state in which a round game is played a predetermined number of times, with one round being the time from when the specific ball entry means is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of the lottery by the lottery means being a specific result;
the next gaming state is an advantageous gaming state that is advantageous to the player and occurs after the end of the round gaming state on the basis that the result of the lottery is the specific result;
The transition display performance is executed from the end timing of the final round in the round game state to the start timing of the advantageous game state when the round game state is transitioned to the advantageous game state,
The first notification means performs a right hit notification in the first mode during the round of play, and performs a right hit notification in the second mode during execution of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (C2), the predetermined gaming state is a round gaming state in which a predetermined number of round games are played, with one round being the time from when the specific ball entry means is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of the lottery by the lottery means being a specific result. The next gaming state is an advantageous gaming state that is advantageous to the player and occurs after the end of the round gaming state, based on the result of the lottery being a specific result. The transition display performance is executed from the end timing of the final round in the round gaming state to the start timing of the advantageous gaming state, when transitioning from the round gaming state to the advantageous gaming state. The first notification means performs a right hit notification in the first mode during round gaming, and performs a right hit notification in the second mode during the execution of the transition display performance. This makes it easier for the player to notice that the current time is not during round gaming but during the execution of the transition display performance, and is not the time to execute a right hit game, due to the difference in notification mode between the right hit notification during round gaming and the right hit notification during the execution of the transition display performance. This reduces the disadvantages that can arise from mistaking the current time when the transition display effect is being executed for the timing to execute a right-hand hit in a favorable gaming state.

(C3) In the gaming machine described in (C1),
The second mode is a mode in which it is more difficult for a player to perform a right-hit operation than the first mode.

According to the gaming machine described in (C3), the second mode of the right-hit notification is a mode that makes it more difficult for the player to perform a right-hit operation than the first mode of the right-hit notification. This reduces the awareness that the timing to perform a right-hit game is low when the transition display performance is being executed, thereby reducing the disadvantage caused by the player mistaking the current time when the transition display performance is being executed for the timing to perform a right-hit game in an advantageous game state. Modes that make it difficult to perform a right-hit operation include, for example, an image that discourages a right-hit operation or an image with a less noticeable mode, as described below.

(C4) In the gaming machine described in (C1),
The second mode is less noticeable to a player than the first mode.

According to the gaming machine described in (C4), the second aspect of the right hit notification is less noticeable to the player than the first aspect of the right hit notification. This reduces the awareness that the timing to play a right hit game is when the transition display effect is being executed, thereby reducing the disadvantage caused by the mistaken belief that the current time when the transition display effect is being executed is the timing to play a right hit game in an advantageous game state. An example of a less noticeable aspect is that if the right hit notification is an image, the size of the image is small or the color of the image is light. The image of the right hit notification may gradually become smaller or the color of the image may gradually become lighter.

(C5) In the gaming machine described in (C1),
The first notification means performs a right-hit notification in a third mode, which suggests a return from the second mode to the first mode, at the end of the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (C5) above, the first notification means issues a right-hit notification in a third mode, which indicates a return from the second mode to the first mode, at the end of the transition display presentation. This allows the right-hit notification to be quickly resumed at the timing when the transition display presentation transitions to the next game state.

(C6) a first notification means for notifying a player that a game will be played by right-hand hitting in a predetermined game state;
A second notification means for notifying a player that a game will be played by hitting the right hand in a next game state that occurs after the end of the predetermined game state;
An execution means for executing a transition display effect for displaying a predetermined image on a display means from the end timing of a right-hand hit game in the predetermined game state to the start timing of the next game state when the predetermined game state is transitioned to the next game state;
and a next game state approaching information notifying means for notifying a next game state approaching information indicating that the start timing of the next game state is approaching during the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (C6), the next game state approaching information notification means notifies the next game state approaching information indicating that the start timing of the next game state is approaching during the transition display performance. This makes it possible to reduce disadvantages caused by mistaking the current time during the execution of the transition display performance for the execution timing of the right-hand hit game of the next game state.

(C7) a first notification means for notifying a player that a game will be played by right-hand hitting in a predetermined game state;
A second notification means for notifying a player that a game will be played by hitting the right hand in a next game state that occurs after the end of the predetermined game state;
An execution means for executing a transition display effect for displaying a predetermined image on a display means from the end timing of a right-hand hit game in the predetermined game state to the start timing of the next game state when the predetermined game state is transitioned to the next game state;
and a next game operation start time approaching information notifying means for notifying information indicating that the timing for starting the right-hand hit operation for the next game state is approaching.

According to the gaming machine described in (C7), the next gaming operation start time approaching information notification means notifies the next gaming operation start time approaching information indicating that the start timing of the next gaming state is approaching. This makes it easier to grasp the start timing of the right hit operation for the next gaming state. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by not being able to properly grasp the start timing of the right hit operation for the next gaming state.

(C8) In the gaming machine according to (C7),
The next game operation start time approaching information notifying means notifies the next game operation start time approaching information from the transition display performance to the next game state.

According to the gaming machine described in (C8) above, the next game operation start time approaching information notification means notifies the next game operation start time approaching information from the transition display performance to the next game state. This allows the player to be aware of the right hit operation for the next game state during the transition display performance period, and to quickly perform the right hit operation at the appropriate timing after entering the next game state.

(C9) In the gaming machine according to (C7),
The gaming machine, characterized in that the next game operation start time approaching information notifying means notifies the next game operation start time approaching information during the transition display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (C9), the next game operation start time approaching information notification means notifies the next game operation start time approaching information during the transition display performance. This allows the player to perform a right-hit operation for the next game state at an appropriate timing during the transition display performance.

<Fourth issue>
Conventionally, as this type of gaming machine, there is, for example, a gaming machine in which the player can change the volume (for example, JP 2007-089649 A (pages 41-42)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
In other words, this type of gaming machine has the problem that the operation of changing the volume by the player is not very interesting.
The invention related to (D1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can increase the enjoyment of the player's operation to change the volume.
The invention according to (D1) below has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.

(D1) a display means capable of displaying a display effect relating to a game;
a sound output means for outputting a sound in accordance with the display performance;
an operation means operable by a player;
a volume change control means for changing the volume of the sound output from the sound output means based on an operation on the operation means;
The volume change control means is capable of changing the operation sound when changing the volume to a sound related to the display effect being displayed during a period when the volume can be changed.

The gaming machine described in (D1) above includes a display means capable of displaying a display effect, a sound output means for outputting sound in accordance with the display effect, an operation means operable by a player, and a volume change control means capable of changing the volume of the sound output from the sound output means based on an operation on the operation means, and the volume change control means is capable of changing the operation sound when changing the volume to a sound related to the display effect displayed during the period when the volume can be changed. This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound related to the display effect when changing the volume, thereby improving the interest of the player in changing the volume.

(D2) In the gaming machine described in (D1),
The gaming machine is characterized in that, when the display presentation is changed to a different presentation upon volume change, the operation sound is a sound related to the changed display presentation.

According to the gaming machine described in (D2) above, when the display presentation at the time of changing the volume is changed to a different display presentation, the operation sound is a sound related to the changed display presentation. This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound related to the display presentation displayed at the time of the change operation, so that the optimal volume can be set at the time of the change operation.

(D3) In the gaming machine described in (D1),
A gaming machine characterized in that the operation sound is a sound related to the display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a predetermined associable display effect, and is a sound unrelated to the display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a predetermined unassociable display effect.

According to the gaming machine described in (D3) above, the operation sound is a sound related to the display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a previously determined display effect that can be associated, and is a sound that is not related to the display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a previously determined display effect that cannot be associated. This makes it possible to prevent discomfort or inconvenience to the player by forcibly associating the display effect with an inappropriate display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a previously determined display effect that cannot be associated.

(D4) In the gaming machine according to any one of (D1) to (D3),
The display means is capable of displaying the display effects and volume information when the volume is changed.

According to the gaming machine described in (D4) above, the display means can display the display effects and the volume information when changing the volume. This allows the player to change the volume while watching the display effects and listening to the sounds related to the display effects, thereby improving the interest of the player in changing the volume.

(D5) In the gaming machine according to any one of (D1) to (D4),
The game machine is characterized in that the image of the display effect displayed during a volume change operation is displayed in a smaller size than the image of the display effect displayed before the volume change operation.

According to the gaming machine described in (D5) above, the image of the display effect displayed during the volume change operation is displayed in a smaller size than the image of the display effect displayed before the volume change operation. This makes it easier to change the volume because the image of the display effect is reduced during the volume change operation. In addition, since the player can check the currently displayed display effect in the reduced image while performing the volume change operation, the player can perform the volume change operation with peace of mind without worrying that the display effect will end during the volume change operation.

(D6) In the gaming machine according to any one of (D1) to (D4),
A gaming machine characterized in that the image of the display effect displayed during a volume change operation is superimposed behind the image for the volume change operation in such a manner that at least a portion of it is visible.

According to the gaming machine described in (D6) above, the image of the display effect displayed during the volume change operation is displayed superimposed behind the image for the volume change operation in such a manner that at least a portion of it is visible. This ensures a sufficient area for displaying the image for the volume change operation, making it easier to change the volume. In addition, since the player can check the display effect being displayed by the image superimposed behind while performing the volume change operation, the player can perform the volume change operation with peace of mind without worrying that the display effect will end during the volume change operation.

<Fifth Task>
Conventionally, as this type of gaming machine, there is, for example, a gaming machine that performs a display effect to display information visible to a player (for example, JP-A-2006-081588 (pages 44 to 46)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, this type of gaming machine has a problem in that the pattern in which information is displayed is fixed, making the display presentation less interesting.
The invention related to (E1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the entertainment value of the display presentation.
The invention according to (E1) below has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.

(E1)
A display means capable of displaying display effects relating to games;
A display control means for controlling the display of the display performance on the display means in a predetermined pattern,
The predetermined pattern is
a first pattern in which predetermined display information is displayed for a predetermined display time in a predetermined display manner;
and a second pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed for a display time shorter than the predetermined display time and in a display manner different from the predetermined display manner.

The gaming machine described in (E1) above is equipped with a display means capable of displaying display effects related to the game, and a display control means for controlling the display of the display effects on the display means in a predetermined pattern, the predetermined pattern being a first pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed for a predetermined display time and in a predetermined display mode, and a second pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed for a display time shorter than the predetermined display time and in a display mode different from the predetermined display mode. This makes it possible to execute display effects with a variety of variations in which the display time and display mode for displaying the predetermined display information are different. As a result, the interest of the display effects can be improved.

(E2) In the gaming machine described in (E1),
the first pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order,
The second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a shortened state in which the predetermined display time is shortened while maintaining the predetermined order.

According to the gaming machine described in (E2), the first pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order, and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a shortened state in which the predetermined display time is shortened while maintaining the predetermined order. This makes it possible to increase the variety of display effects without compromising the uniformity of the content and appearance of the display effects between the first and second patterns.

(E3) In the gaming machine described in (E1),
the first pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order,
The second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined information displayed in the predetermined order is displayed in a composite state.

According to the gaming machine described in (E3) above, the first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order, and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined information displayed in the predetermined order is displayed in a composite state. This makes it possible to increase the variety of display effects without compromising the uniformity of the content of the display effects between the first and second patterns.

(E4) In the gaming machine according to any one of (E1) to (E3),
A gaming machine characterized in that the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the second pattern.

According to the gaming machine described in (E4) above, the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the second pattern. As a result, in the display effect executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the specified display information is shortened, and the resulting excess time can be used to increase the variety of the display effects.

(E5) In the gaming machine described in (E1) to (E4),
The predetermined display information is ending presentation information after a big win round.

According to the gaming machine described in (E5) above, the predetermined display information is ending presentation information after a jackpot round is played. This allows for an increased variety of ending presentations after a jackpot round is played.

(E6) In the gaming machine described in (E1) to (E4),
The predetermined display information is suggestive performance information displayed during a reach performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (E6) above, the suggestive performance information is displayed during reach performance. It is possible to increase the variety of suggestive performances displayed during reach performance.

<Sixth Task>
Conventionally, as this type of gaming machine, for example, there is a gaming machine that performs a display effect that displays information that can be seen by a player (for example, JP 2006-081588 A (pages 44 to 46)). Even in this type of gaming machine, a display that involves the operation of an operating means may be performed during the display effect.
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, in this type of gaming machine, a part of the display performance is replaced with a display that requires the operation of the operating means, which reduces the entertainment value of the display performance.
The invention relating to (F1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the entertainment value of the display presentation.
The invention according to (F1) below has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.

(F1)
A display means for displaying display effects relating to games;
An operation means operable by a player in response to the display effects;
A display control means for controlling the display of the display performance on the display means,
The display control means
an operation request execution means for controlling display of an operation request image requesting a player to operate the operation means during the display performance;
and an operation display effect execution means for performing control to display an operation display effect using the operation means during the display effect in response to an operation by a player on the operation request image,
The predetermined pattern is
a first pattern in which, when the operation request image is displayed and the player does not perform an operation in response to the operation request image, predetermined display information is displayed for a predetermined display time in a predetermined display manner;
a second pattern in which, when the operation request image is displayed and a player performs an operation on the operation request image, the specified display information is displayed for a shorter display time than the first pattern and in a display manner different from the first pattern, and the operation display presentation is executed after the display of the specified display information has ended.

The gaming machine described in (F1) above is provided with a display means for displaying display effects related to a game, an operation means operable by a player in response to the display effects, and a display control means for controlling the display of the display effects on the display means, and the display control means is provided with an operation request execution means for controlling the display of an operation request image requesting the player to operate the operation means during the display effects, and an operation display effect execution means for controlling the display of an operation display effect using the operation means during the display effects triggered by the player's operation on the operation request image, and the predetermined patterns include a first pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player does not operate on the operation request image, the predetermined display information is displayed for a predetermined display time and in a predetermined display mode, and a second pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player operates on the operation request image, the predetermined display information is displayed for a shorter display time than the first pattern and in a display mode different from the first pattern, and the operation display effect is executed after the display of the predetermined display information has ended. This makes it possible to improve the interest of the display presentation by making the operation display presentation enjoyable without significantly compromising the interest of the display presentation when the operating means is effectively operated in response to the operation request image.

(F2) In the gaming machine described in (F1),
the first pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order for the predetermined display time,
The second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in the predetermined order while shortening the predetermined display time.

According to the gaming machine described in (F2), the first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order for a predetermined display time, and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a shortened state in which the predetermined display time is shortened while maintaining the predetermined order. This makes it possible to increase the variety of the operation display presentation without compromising the uniformity of the content and appearance of the display presentation between the first and second patterns.

(F3) In the gaming machine described in (F1),
the first pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order for the predetermined display time,
The second pattern is a pattern in which the specified display information that was displayed in the specified order is displayed in a composite state in which the specified display time is shortened by compositely displaying the specified display information.

According to the gaming machine described in (F3), the first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined display information is displayed in a predetermined order for a predetermined display time, and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined display information that was displayed in the predetermined order is displayed in a composite state in which the predetermined display time is shortened by being compositely displayed. This makes it possible to increase the variety of the operation display presentation without compromising the uniformity of the content of the display presentation between the first and second patterns.

(F4) In the gaming machine according to any one of (F1) to (F3),
A gaming machine characterized in that the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the second pattern.

According to the gaming machine described in (E4) above, the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the display period of the display effect executed in the second pattern. As a result, in the display effect executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the specified display information is shortened, and the resulting excess time can be used to increase the variety of the operation display effect.

(F5) In the gaming machine described in (F1) to (F4),
The predetermined display information is ending presentation information after a big win round.

According to the gaming machine described in (F5), the predetermined display information is ending presentation information after a big win round. This makes it possible to increase the variety of operation display presentations that are performed during the ending presentation after a big win round.

(F6) In the gaming machine described in (F1) to (F4),
The predetermined display information is suggestive performance information displayed during a reach performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (F6), the predetermined display information is suggestive performance information that is displayed during the reach performance. This makes it possible to increase the variety of operation display performances that are performed during the suggestive performances that are displayed during the reach performance.

<Seventh Task>
Conventionally, as an example of this type of gaming machine, there is a gaming machine that displays an ending image after the end of a jackpot round game (for example, JP 2017-205375 A (pages 89 to 90)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
In other words, there is a problem in that it is difficult to further improve the entertainment value of the ending presentation in this type of gaming machine.
The invention relating to (G1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the entertainment value of the ending presentation.
The invention according to (G1) below has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.

(G1)
A display means capable of displaying a display effect triggered by a lottery based on the establishment of a start condition;
A display control means for controlling the display of the display performance on the display means,
The display control means
A specific performance execution means for controlling execution of a specific performance during the display performance;
and an ending performance execution means for controlling the display of an ending performance displaying predetermined information during an ending period from the end of a round game, which is executed a predetermined number of times based on the result of the lottery being a specific result, from when the variable ball entry means is set to an open state in which the game ball can be entered until when the variable ball entry means is set to a closed state in which the game ball cannot be entered, to when the round game is started, the ending period being from the end of a round game, to the start of a next game.
The ending performance execution means is capable of controlling to display, in the ending performance, information related to the specific performance executed during the display performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (G1), the gaming machine includes a display means capable of displaying a display effect triggered by a lottery based on the establishment of a starting condition, and a display control means for controlling the display of the display effect on the display means. The display control means includes a specific effect execution means for controlling the execution of a specific effect during the display effect, and an ending effect execution means for controlling the display of an ending effect that displays specific information during the ending period from the end of a round game that is executed a predetermined number of times, with one round being the time when the variable ball entry means is set to an open state where the game ball can enter and the time when the variable ball entry means is set to a closed state where the game ball cannot enter, based on the result of the lottery being a specific result, to the start of the next game. The ending effect execution means is capable of controlling the display of information related to the specific effect executed during the display effect in the ending effect. As a result, the ending effect and the display effect leading up to the ending effect are associated by the specific effect, and the fun of the display effect continues into the ending effect through the specific effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

(G2) In the gaming machine described in (G1),
A gaming machine characterized in that the information related to the specific performance is information indicating components of the specific performance.

According to the gaming machine described in (G2), the information related to the special effect is information indicating the components of the special effect. This makes it easier to remember the displayed effect by displaying the components of the special effect, further increasing the interest of the ending effect.

(G3) In the gaming machine described in (G1),
A gaming machine characterized in that the information relating to the specific performance is information indicating the effect that the specific performance had on the player.

According to the gaming machine described in (G3), the information related to the specific performance is information indicating the impact that the specific performance had on the player. This makes it possible to appeal to players who have been impacted by the specific performance, further increasing the interest of the ending performance.

(G4) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G3),
A gaming machine characterized in that the display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a variable display effect of identification information that makes it possible to identify whether the result of the lottery will be the specific result.

According to the gaming machine described in (G4), the display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a variable display effect of identification information that makes it possible to identify whether the result of the lottery will be a specific result. This makes it easier to remember the specific effect along with the variable display effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

(G5) In the gaming machine described in (G4),
The display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a reach display effect for the identification information.

According to the gaming machine described in (G5), the display effect in which the specific effect is executed is the reach display effect of the identification information. This makes it easier to remember the specific effect along with the reach display effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

(G6) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G3),
The display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a round display effect that is displayed during the round of play.

According to the gaming machine described in (G6) above, the display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a round display effect that is displayed during round play. This makes it easier to remember the specific effect along with the round display effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

(G7) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G6),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the specific effect is a specific suggestion effect that suggests that the possibility of the specific result being achieved is higher than if the specific effect is not executed.

According to the gaming machine described in (G7) above, the specific performance is a specific suggestion performance that suggests that the possibility of a specific result is higher than if the specific performance is not executed. This makes it easier for players who understand the meaning of the suggestion to remember the specific suggestion performance, thereby improving the interest of the ending performance.

(G8) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G6),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the specific effect is a specific notification effect that notifies the player that the possibility of the specific result being achieved is higher than if the specific effect is not executed.

According to the gaming machine described in (G8), the special effect is a special notification effect that notifies the player that the possibility of a special result is higher than if the special effect is not executed. This makes it easier for players who see, hear, or experience the notification to remember the special notification effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

(G9) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G8),
the display control means includes a selection request execution means for controlling display of a selection request image for requesting a player to make a predetermined selection during the display performance;
The specific performance is executed when a predetermined selection requested by the selection request image is made.

According to the gaming machine described in (G9), the display control means includes a selection request execution means for controlling the display of a selection request image that requests the player to make a specific selection during the display performance, and the specific performance is executed when the specific selection requested by the selection request image is made. This makes it easier to remember the specific performance when the specific selection requested by the operation request image is made, thereby improving the interest of the ending performance.

(G10) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G9),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the selection request image is displayed during a variable display presentation of identification information that makes it possible to identify whether the result of the lottery will be the specific result.

According to the gaming machine described in (G10), the selection request image is displayed during the variable display performance of the identification information that allows the player to identify whether the result of the lottery will be a specific result. This makes it easier for the player to leave a strong impression of the specific performance along with the variable display performance, and increases the interest of the ending performance.

(G11) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G9),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the selection request image is displayed during the ending presentation simultaneously with information related to the specific presentation or after displaying information related to the specific presentation.

According to the gaming machine described in (G11) above, the selection request image is displayed during the ending presentation, either simultaneously with the information related to the specific presentation or after the information related to the specific presentation is displayed. This allows the player to reconsider whether to make a specific selection while viewing the information related to the specific presentation or after viewing the information related to the specific presentation, thereby improving the interest of the ending presentation.

(G12) In the gaming machine described in (G1) to (G11),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the specific performance includes a performance that is executed when the specific performance can be executed as a result of a lottery based on the establishment of the starting condition.

According to the gaming machine described in (G12) above, the special effect may be executed when it is possible to execute the special effect as a result of a lottery based on the establishment of a starting condition.

<8th Task>
Typical examples of conventional gaming machines include pachinko machines and slot machines. Some of these types of gaming machines are equipped with decorative parts that have light-emitting areas (see, for example, Patent Document: JP 2012-100905 A (pages 4-8, figures 3-8)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, in conventional pachinko machines, for example, there is a problem in that it is difficult to suitably change the light-emitting area.
The following inventions (H0), (H00), and (H1) have been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and have an object to provide a gaming machine that can suitably change the light-emitting area.

(H0) an irradiation means for irradiating light;
and a control unit that controls the state of the light irradiated from the irradiation unit to a first state that allows the first light emitting region to emit light when the light irradiated from the irradiation unit causes the first light emitting region to emit light;
The control means, when the light irradiated from the irradiation means causes a second light-emitting area to emit light, controls the manner of the light irradiated from the irradiation means to a second manner capable of emitting light to the second light-emitting area.

According to the gaming machine described in (H0), whether the light irradiated from the irradiation means causes the first light-emitting area to emit light or the light irradiated from the irradiation means causes the second light-emitting area to emit light can be handled by controlling the form of the light irradiated from the irradiation means, so that the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

(H00) A decorative member disposed on the front side of the game machine body;
and an illumination means for emitting light toward a back side of the decorative member.
The gaming machine is capable of shifting a predetermined area of the decorative member that receives the light irradiated from the irradiating means to a different position,
a control means for executing a first control in which, when the predetermined area is located at a first position, the light irradiated from the irradiating means causes the predetermined area located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area, and, when the predetermined area is located at a second position, a second control in which the light irradiated from the irradiating means causes the predetermined area located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area.

The gaming machine described in (H00) above is provided with a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body, and an illumination means for irradiating light toward the back side of the decorative member. The gaming machine is capable of shifting a predetermined area of the decorative member that receives light irradiated from the illumination means to different positions, so that the impression of the front side of the gaming machine can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined area of the decorative member. When the predetermined area is located at a first position, the control means executes a first control for causing the predetermined area located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area with the light irradiated from the illumination means, and when the predetermined area is located at a second position, the control means executes a second control for causing the predetermined area located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area with the light irradiated from the illumination means. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by optimizing the light irradiation direction in accordance with the shift in the predetermined area of the decorative member.

(H1) a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body;
and an illumination means for emitting light toward a back side of the decorative member.
The gaming machine is capable of shifting a predetermined surface of the decorative member that receives the light irradiated from the irradiating means to a different position,
a control means for executing a first control when the specified surface is located at a first position, causing the specified surface located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area with light irradiated from the irradiating means, and for executing a second control when the specified surface is located at a second position, causing the specified surface located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area with light irradiated from the irradiating means.

The gaming machine described in (H1) above is provided with a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body, and an illumination means for irradiating light toward the back side of the decorative member. The gaming machine is capable of shifting a predetermined surface of the decorative member that receives light irradiated from the illumination means to different positions, so that the impression of the front side of the gaming machine can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined surface of the decorative member. When the predetermined surface is located at a first position, the light irradiated from the illumination means executes a first control to cause the predetermined surface located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area, and when the predetermined surface is located at a second position, the light irradiated from the illumination means executes a second control to cause the predetermined surface located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by optimizing the light irradiation direction in accordance with the shift in the predetermined surface of the decorative member.

(H2) In the gaming machine described in (H1),
The decorative member is a replaceable decorative cover disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body,
The first light-emitting region is provided on the predetermined surface of the decorative cover,
The gaming machine, characterized in that the second light-emitting area is provided on the specified surface of another decorative cover that is replaced with the decorative cover.

According to the gaming machine described in (H2) above, even if the decorative cover arranged on the front side of the gaming machine main body is replaced with a different decorative cover, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

(H3) In the gaming machine according to (H1) or (H2),
The above-mentioned illumination means is a light-emitting substrate mounted on a front portion constituting the front surface of the gaming machine body.

According to the gaming machine described in (H3) above, even if the decorative cover arranged on the front part constituting the front surface of the gaming machine body is replaced with a different decorative cover, and the light-emitting substrate is provided on the front part side instead of the decorative cover side, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

(H4) In the gaming machine according to any one of (H1) to (H3),
The first control includes at least one of setting an irradiation angle of the light irradiated from the irradiation means to the first light-emitting region as a first irradiation angle, setting an irradiation area of the light irradiated from the irradiation means to the first light-emitting region as a first irradiation area, and setting an irradiation distance between a predetermined point (e.g., a center point) of the first light-emitting region and a predetermined point (e.g., a center point) of the irradiation means as a first irradiation distance,
The second control includes at least one of setting a second irradiation angle different from the first irradiation angle, setting a second irradiation area different from the first irradiation area, or setting a second irradiation distance different from the first irradiation distance.

According to the gaming machine described in (H4) above, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by changing at least one of the illumination angle, illumination area, and illumination distance.

(H5) In the gaming machine described in (H2) to (H4),
The gaming machine is characterized in that the second light-emitting area changes depending on the shape of the separate decorative cover.

According to the gaming machine described in (H5) above, even if the shape of the separate decorative cover changes from the shape of the original decorative cover, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

(H6) In the gaming machine described in (H2) to (H5),
A gaming machine characterized in that the decorative cover and the separate decorative cover are replaceable without the use of tools.

The gaming machine described in (H6) above also makes it easy to carry out replacement work to suitably change the light-emitting area.

(H7) In the gaming machine described in (H1) to (H6),
The irradiation means is capable of at least one of rotating, pivoting, tilting, bending, curving, stretching and contracting, and moving in a front-back direction and a left-right direction.

According to the gaming machine described in (H7) above, the irradiation angle can be easily adjusted by rotating, turning, or tilting, whether the light irradiated from the irradiation means illuminates the first light-emitting area or the second light-emitting area. In addition, the irradiation area can be easily adjusted by bending the structure that can be bent with a hinge or the like, bending the flexible board, or stretching and shrinking the structure that can be stretched and contracted with a sliding mechanism or the like. The irradiation distance may be easily adjusted by movement including in the forward/backward and left/right directions.

(H8) In the gaming machine described in (H1) to (H7),
a light transmitting means for transmitting the light irradiated from the irradiating means to the first light emitting region or the second light emitting region,
The gaming machine, wherein the light transmitting means is capable of at least any of the following movements: rotation, pivoting, tilting, bending, curving, stretching and contracting, and movement including forward/backward and left/right directions.

According to the gaming machine described in (H8) above, not only when the illumination means is tiltable, but also when the light-transmitting means is tiltable, at least one of the illumination angle, illumination area, and illumination distance can be easily adjusted, as in (H7).

(H9) In the gaming machine described in (H2),
The control means changes the illumination means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed during the process of replacing the decorative cover with the different decorative cover.

According to the gaming machine described in (H9), the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed in the process of replacing the decorative cover with a different decorative cover.

(H10) In the gaming machine described in (H9),
The control means comprises an input means for inputting a force generated in the process of replacing the decorative cover with the different decorative cover, and an output means for changing the irradiation means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed based on the input force.

According to the gaming machine described in (H10), the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated in the process of replacing the decorative cover with the different decorative cover.

(H11) In the gaming machine according to (H10),
The gaming machine, wherein the input means is a means for pushing the irradiation means into the other decorative cover in the process of replacing the decorative cover with the other decorative cover.

According to the gaming machine described in (H11), the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force with which the other decorative cover presses the illumination means during the process of replacing the decorative cover with the other decorative cover.

(H12) In the gaming machine according to (H10) or (H11),
The output means changes the illumination means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed by at least one of rotating, pivoting, tilting, bending, curving, stretching and contracting, and moving the illumination means in a front-back and left-right direction based on an input force.

According to the gaming machine described in (H12), at least one of the irradiation angle, irradiation area, and irradiation distance can be easily adjusted by utilizing the force input during the process of attaching a separate decorative cover to the front part in place of the decorative cover.

The configurations described in (H2) to (H12) above may be provided in the gaming machines described in (H0) and (H00) above or (I1) and (J1) described below.

<9th Task>
Typical examples of conventional gaming machines include pachinko machines and slot machines. Some of these types of gaming machines are equipped with decorative parts that have light-emitting areas (see, for example, Patent Document: JP 2012-100905 A (pages 4-8, figures 3-8)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, in conventional pachinko machines, for example, there is a problem in that it is difficult to suitably change the light-emitting area.
The invention of (I1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a gaming machine that can suitably change the light-emitting area.

(I1) a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body;
and an illumination means for illuminating the decorative member with light.
a driving means for moving a predetermined surface of the decorative member, which is illuminated by the light emitted from the illuminating means, between a first position and a second position;
a control means for executing a first control to cause the specified surface located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area with light irradiated from the irradiating means when the specified surface is moved to the first position by the driving means, and for executing a second control to cause the specified surface located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area with light irradiated from the irradiating means when the specified surface is moved to the second position by the driving means.

The gaming machine described in (I1) above includes a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body, and an illumination means for irradiating the decorative member with light. The gaming machine includes a drive means capable of shifting a predetermined surface of the decorative member, which is illuminated by light irradiated from the illumination means, between a first position and a second position, so that the illuminated portion of the decorative member is not uniform, and the illuminated portion of the decorative member can be easily shifted. The gaming machine includes a control means for executing a first control for making the predetermined surface located at the first position illuminated as a first light-emitting region by the light irradiated from the illumination means when the predetermined surface is shifted to the first position by the drive means, and a control means for executing a second control for making the predetermined surface located at the second position illuminated as a second light-emitting region by the light irradiated from the illumination means when the predetermined surface is shifted to the second position by the drive means, so that the shifting of the illuminated portion is facilitated, and the illumination direction of the light is optimized in accordance with the shifting of the illuminated portion, thereby allowing the illuminated portion to be suitably changed.

(I2) In the gaming machine described in (I1),
The gaming machine body is a pachinko machine body,
The pachinko machine body includes:
An outer frame that forms the outer shell of the pachinko machine body;
an inner frame supported so as to be openable and closable relative to the outer frame with one side of the outer frame as an opening/closing axis;
a front frame attached to the inner frame so as to be freely opened and closed with respect to the inner frame, with one side of the inner frame as an opening and closing axis;
The inner frame includes a resin base that forms an outer shape of the inner frame, and a game board having a game area in which game balls attached to the resin base flow down;
The game board is provided with a pattern display device having a display screen on which a display performance during a specific game state that occurs when the pattern variation display and the pattern variation display result in a specific result are displayed, and an opening that makes the display screen visible;
The front frame includes a transparent member frame portion surrounding a transparent member that allows the game area and the display screen to be viewed,
The decorative member is visible from the front side of the front frame of the pachinko machine body.

According to the gaming machine described in (I2) above, the decorative member is visible from the front side of the front frame of the pachinko machine main body, so that the light-emitting point on the front side of the front frame of the pachinko machine main body can be easily shifted, and the light irradiation direction can be optimized according to the shift of the light-emitting point, thereby allowing the light-emitting area to be suitably changed.

(I3) In the gaming machine described in (I2),
A gaming machine characterized in that the decorative member is attached to the transparent member frame portion of the front frame of the pachinko machine body.

According to the gaming machine described in (I3) above, the decorative member is attached to the visual component frame of the front frame of the pachinko machine body, which makes it easy to shift the light-emitting point in the visual component frame of the front frame of the pachinko machine body, and by optimizing the direction of light irradiation in accordance with the shift of the light-emitting point in the visual component frame, the light-emitting area in the visual component frame can be suitably changed.

(I4) In the gaming machine described in (I2),
A gaming machine characterized in that the decorative member is attached behind the transparent member of the front frame of the pachinko machine body and can be seen through the transparent member.

According to the gaming machine described in (I4), the decorative member is attached behind the transparent member of the front frame of the pachinko machine body and is visible through the transparent member, which makes it easy to shift the light-emitting point behind the transparent member of the pachinko machine body, and by optimizing the direction of light irradiation in accordance with the shift of the light-emitting point behind the transparent member, the light-emitting area behind the transparent member can be suitably changed.

(I5) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I2),
A gaming machine characterized in that the decorative member is disposed on any one of the upper, lower, left and right sides within the playing area of the gaming board.

According to the gaming machine described in (I5), the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately in any position on the upper, lower, left, or right side of the playing area of the gaming board.

(I6) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I2),
A gaming machine characterized in that the decorative member is disposed on any one of the upper, lower, left and right sides within the opening of the gaming board.

According to the gaming machine described in (I6), the light-emitting area can be suitably changed in any position within the opening of the gaming board, whether it is the upper, lower, left, or right side.

(I7) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I1) to (I6),
The amusement machine, characterized in that the illumination means comprises a light-emitting substrate and a position change means for changing the position of the light-emitting substrate relative to the specified surface of the decorative member.

According to the gaming machine described in (I7), the illumination means includes a light-emitting substrate and a position change means for changing the position of the light-emitting substrate relative to the specified surface of the decorative member, so that the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position.

(I8) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I1) to (I7),
The first control includes at least one of setting an irradiation angle of the light irradiated from the irradiation means to the first light-emitting region as a first irradiation angle, setting an irradiation area of the light irradiated from the irradiation means to the first light-emitting region as a first irradiation area, and setting an irradiation distance between a predetermined point (e.g., a center point) of the first light-emitting region and a predetermined point (e.g., a center point) of the irradiation means as a first irradiation distance,
The second control includes at least one of setting a second irradiation angle different from the first irradiation angle, setting a second irradiation area different from the first irradiation area, or setting a second irradiation distance different from the first irradiation distance.

According to the gaming machine described in (I8), the decorative member is configured to move, and the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by changing at least one of the illumination angle, illumination area, and illumination distance.

(I9) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I1) to (I8),
An operation means for receiving an operation by a player is provided,
The decorative member operates in response to operation of the operating means.

According to the gaming machine described in (I9) above, even when the decorative member moves in response to the operation of the operating means, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position.

(I10) In the gaming machine described in (I9),
The decorative member operates in response to operation of the operating means during standby display, excluding when a display performance is being displayed on the symbol display device.

According to the gaming machine described in (I10), when the pattern display device operates in response to the operation of the operating means during standby display, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position according to the operation.

(I11) In the gaming machine described in (I9),
The decorative member operates in response to operation of the operating means while a display effect is being displayed on the symbol display device.

According to the gaming machine described in (I11), even if the decorative member operates while a display effect is being displayed on the pattern display device, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position according to the operation.

(I12) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I1) to (I11),
The above-mentioned illumination means is capable of any of the following movements in response to the movement of the decorative member: rotating, pivoting, tilting, bending, curving, stretching and contracting, and moving in a forward/backward and left/right direction.

(I13) In the gaming machine according to any one of (I1) to (I12),
The control means changes the illumination means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed during the process in which the specified surface of the decorative member transitions from the first position to the second position.

According to the gaming machine described in (I13), the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed in the process in which the specified surface of the decorative member transitions from the first position to the second position.

(I14) In the gaming machine according to (I13),
The control means comprises an input means for inputting a force generated in the process of the specified surface of the decorative member moving from the first position to the second position, and an output means for changing the irradiation means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed based on the input force.

According to the gaming machine described in (I14), the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated in the process in which the specified surface of the decorative member moves from the first position to the second position.

(I15) In the gaming machine according to (I14),
The input means is a means for applying a force to the irradiation means to cause it to perform at least one of the following movements during the process of the specified surface of the decorative member moving from the first position to the second position: rotating, pivoting, tilting, bending, curving, stretching and contracting, and moving in the forward/backward and left/right directions.

According to the gaming machine described in (I15), the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force applied to the irradiation means in the process in which the specified surface of the decorative member moves from the first position to the second position.

(I16) In the gaming machine according to (I14) or (I15),
The output means changes the illumination means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed by at least one of rotating, pivoting, tilting, bending, curving, stretching and contracting, and moving the illumination means in a front-back and left-right direction based on the input force.

According to the gaming machine described in (I16), at least one of the irradiation angle, irradiation area, and irradiation distance can be easily adjusted by utilizing the force input during the process in which a specific surface of the decorative member moves from a first position to a second position.

The configurations described in (I2) to (I16) above may be provided in the gaming machines described in (H0), (H00), (H1) above or (J1) described below.

<10th Task>
Typical examples of conventional gaming machines include pachinko machines and slot machines. Some of these types of gaming machines are equipped with decorative parts that have light-emitting areas (see, for example, Patent Document: JP 2012-100905 A (pages 4-8, figures 3-8)).
However, the conventional example having such a configuration has the following problems.
That is, in conventional pachinko machines, for example, there is a problem in that it is difficult to suitably change the light-emitting area.
The invention of (J1) below has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a gaming machine that can suitably change the light-emitting area.

(J1) a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body;
and an illumination means for illuminating the decorative member with light.
The gaming machine is capable of moving a predetermined surface of the decorative member that receives the light irradiated from the irradiating means between a first position and a second position,
A detection means capable of detecting a displacement of the predetermined surface of the decorative member;
a control means for executing a first control when it is detected that the specified surface has been moved to the first position, so that the light irradiated from the irradiating means causes the specified surface located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area, and for executing a second control when the specified surface has been moved to the second position, so that the light irradiated from the irradiating means causes the specified surface located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area.

The gaming machine described in (J1) above is equipped with a decorative member disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body, and an illumination means for irradiating the decorative member with light. The gaming machine is capable of shifting a predetermined surface of the decorative member, which is illuminated by light irradiated from the illumination means, between a first position and a second position, so that the impression of the front side of the gaming machine can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined surface of the decorative member. The gaming machine is equipped with a detection means capable of detecting the shift in the predetermined surface of the decorative member, so that the shift in the predetermined surface of the decorative member can be recognized. The gaming machine is equipped with a control means that, when it is detected that the predetermined surface has shifted to a first position, executes a first control to cause the predetermined surface located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area with light irradiated from the irradiating means, and, when the predetermined surface has shifted to a second position, executes a second control to cause the predetermined surface located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area with light irradiated from the irradiating means. Therefore, by recognizing the shift of the predetermined surface of the decorative member and optimizing the direction of light irradiation in accordance with the shift of the predetermined surface, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed.

"Detection means" includes both non-contact and contact types.

(J2) In the gaming machine described in (J1),
The control means comprises an input means for inputting a force generated in the process of the specified surface of the decorative member changing from the first position to the second position, a contact-type detection means capable of detecting that the specified surface of the decorative member has changed from the first position to the second position based on the input force, and an output means for changing the irradiation means from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed when it is detected that the specified surface has changed from the first position to the second position.

According to the gaming machine described in (J2) above, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated in the process in which a specific surface of the decorative member moves from a first position to a second position.

(J3) In the gaming machine according to (J2),
The input means is a means for receiving a force generated in the process of the specified surface of the decorative member moving from the first position to the second position, and pressing the contact-type detection means.

According to the gaming machine described in (J3) above, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by accepting the force generated in the process of the specific surface of the decorative member moving from the first position to the second position and utilizing the force that presses the contact-type detection means.

(J4) In the gaming machine described in (J1) to (J3),
The decorative member is a transparent resin member configured to make the control means difficult to see.

According to the gaming machine described in (J4) above, the decorative member is a resin member having transparency, but is configured so that the control means is difficult to see, so that the control means is not noticeable.

(J5) In the gaming machine described in (J1) to (J4),
A gaming machine characterized in that the control means is arranged so as not to overlap the front surface of the light emitting unit mounting surface of the irradiation means.

In the gaming machine described in (J5) above, the control means is arranged so as not to overlap the front of the light-emitting unit mounting surface of the irradiation means, so that the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately without blocking the light-emitting unit mounting surface.

(J6) In the gaming machine described in (J5),
A gaming machine characterized in that the input means is provided on either the left or right side of the illumination means when the specified surface of the decorative member is moved upward or downward when viewed from the front of the gaming machine.

According to the gaming machine described in (J6) above, when the specified surface of the decorative member is shifted upward or downward as viewed from the front of the gaming machine, the input means is provided on either the left or right side of the illumination means, so that the light-emitting area that shifts upward and downward is less likely to be blocked, and the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

(J7) In the gaming machine described in (J5),
A gaming machine characterized in that the input means is provided on either the upper or lower side of the illumination means when the specified surface of the decorative member is moved leftward or rightward when viewed from the front of the gaming machine.

According to the gaming machine described in (J7) above, when the specified surface of the decorative member is shifted to the left or right when viewed from the front of the gaming machine, the input means is provided on either the upper or lower side of the illumination means, so that the light-emitting area that shifts to the left and right is less likely to be blocked, and the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

(J8) In the gaming machine described in (J5),
The gaming machine, wherein the control means is provided on the rear side of the irradiation means.

According to the gaming machine described in (J8), the control means is provided on the rear side of the irradiation means, so that the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately without blocking the light-emitting area being shifted, while ensuring a sufficient light-emitting area on the front side of the control means.

(J9) In the gaming machine according to (J8),
The input means is provided on the rear side of the irradiation means in a position where, when the specified surface of the decorative member is displaced in an upward or downward diagonal direction when viewed from the front of the gaming machine, the force generated in the process of the specified surface displaced in an upward or downward diagonal direction can be input.

According to the gaming machine described in (J9), when the specified surface of the decorative member is shifted in an upward or downward diagonal direction when viewed from the front of the gaming machine, the input means is provided on the rear side of the irradiation means in a position where the force generated in the process of the specified surface shifting in an upward or downward diagonal direction can be input, so that the input means does not interfere with the shift of the decorative member and can change the light-emitting area appropriately without blocking the shifted light-emitting area.

The configurations described in (J2) to (J9) above may be provided in the gaming machines described in (H0), (H00), (H1) or (I1) above.

The pachinko machine of the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine 10. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the pachinko machine 10, showing the state in which the illumination cover is attached in the AA section of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the pachinko machine 10, showing the state in which the illumination cover is attached in the BB section of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the pachinko machine 10. FIG. 7 is a front view of the game board 30. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the display contents of the third pattern display device 42 (a) and the hold display (b).

In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, back (or rear, front) are described based on the state when the game board is viewed from the front, i.e., the front view of the game board.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pachinko machine 10 comprises an outer frame 11 which forms the outer shell of the pachinko machine 10 and is fixed to the game island of the amusement hall (hall), an inner frame 12 which is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the outer frame 11 with one side (e.g. the left side in a front view) of the outer frame 11 as an opening/closing axis J1, and a front frame set 14 which is attached so as to be openable and closable with respect to the inner frame 12 with one side (e.g. the left side in a front view) of the inner frame 12 as an opening/closing axis J2.

The outer frame 11 is made of wooden plate materials and has a rectangular shape as a whole when viewed from the front, and each plate material is attached with removable fasteners such as small screws. In this embodiment, for example, the outer dimension of the outer frame 11 in the up-down direction is 809 mm (inner dimension 771 mm), and the outer dimension in the left-right direction is 518 mm (inner dimension 480 mm). The outer frame 11 may also be made of resin or a light metal such as aluminum.

The inner frame 12 is roughly divided into a resin base 12a (see FIG. 2) as the main component that forms its outer shape, and a game board 30 (see FIG. 7) that is attached to the resin base 12a. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner frame 12 is also provided with a front frame set 14 that can be opened to one side on the front side of the resin base 12a.

Specifically, the resin base 12a is a plate-like member whose external shape is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front, and which has an opening (an opening of the same size as the play area 30a (see Figure 7) described below) centered at roughly the center.

The front frame set 14 is attached to the inner frame 12 so that it can be opened and closed with the vertical opening and closing axis J2 as the axis on the left side when viewed from the front. In detail, the front frame set 14 can be rotated forward with the left side as the opening and closing base end side and the right side as the opening and closing tip end side when viewed from the front.

The game board 30 (see Figure 7) is detachably attached to the rear side of the resin base 12a so that the game area 30a is positioned in the opening of the resin base 12a.

Now let us explain the front frame set 14 in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front frame set 14 is attached to the inner frame 12 so that it can be opened and closed. Like the inner frame 12, it can be opened forward around the opening/closing axis J2 that extends vertically to the left when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10.

As shown in Figure 1, when viewed from the front, the front frame set 14 is broadly divided into a lower dish portion 13 located at the bottom, an upper dish portion 21 located above the lower dish portion 13, and a glass frame portion 23 located above the upper dish portion 21.

The front frame set 14 is formed by attaching the lower dish portion 13, the upper dish portion 21, and the glass frame portion 23 to respective locations on the front side of the base plate body 14a, which is a resin molded part of the front frame set 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower plate portion 13 is an integrated part that includes the parts that form the lower plate 15 and the parts that surround that part, and is fixed to the lowest part of the base plate body 14a when viewed from the front by fasteners such as screws so that it is located at the lowest part of the front frame set 14. This lower plate portion 13 is equipped with the lower plate 15 and the ball removal lever 17 on its front side.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower tray 15, which serves as a ball receiving tray, is provided from the left end to a point that is two-thirds of the width of the front frame set 14 when it is divided into approximately three equal parts, and game balls discharged from the discharge port 16 can be stored in the lower tray 15. The ball removal lever 17 is used to remove (discharge) the game balls in the lower tray 15, and by moving this ball removal lever 17 to the left in Figure 1, a specified location (e.g., approximately the center location) on the bottom of the lower tray 15 is opened, and the game balls stored in the lower tray 15 can be removed downward to the outside through the opening on the bottom of the lower tray 15.

The game ball launching handle 18 is disposed to the right of the lower tray 15 and protrudes forward. In response to the player's operation of the game ball launching handle 18, the launching device 229 (see Figures 3 and 8) shoots the game ball toward the game board 30 (see Figure 7).

As shown in FIG. 1, the sound output unit 24 is provided at two locations, one on the left and one on the top of the front frame set 14 when viewed from the front, and is formed of multiple output ports for outputting sound from speakers provided inside or on the back of the front frame set 14. Only a portion of these output ports is shown in FIG. 1, and the entirety is not shown.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper tray section 21 is an integrated part of the parts that form the upper tray 19 and the parts that surround that part, and is fixed to the lower part of the base plate body 14a when viewed from the front with fasteners such as screws so that it is located at the lower part of the front frame set 14 (above the aforementioned lower tray 15), and is provided with the upper tray 19 as a tray for receiving game balls. Here, the upper tray 19 is a ball receiving tray for temporarily storing game balls and guiding them toward the launching device 229 while aligning them in a row.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper tray 21 is provided with various operation buttons on its upper surface to be operated by the player. These operation buttons include a frame button 80 consisting of multiple push buttons provided on the upper surface of the upper tray 21 near the ball storage space of the upper tray 19. The frame button 80 includes a decision button 81, and a left selection button 82 and a right selection button 83 located on either side of the decision button 81. In addition to the push button type, the buttons may be, for example, a lever type or a touch sensor type.

As shown in FIG. 1, the glass frame 23 has a window 101 formed on the upper side of the upper dish 21 and various decorative illuminations provided around the window 101.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 1, the front frame set 14 has a window 101 of an approximately vertically elongated elliptical shape formed in the center of the glass frame 23 located above the upper tray 21 so that most of the play area 30a (see FIG. 7) of the play board 30 can be seen from the outside. In detail, the window 101 is approximately vertically elongated elliptical with a hollow center (opening 101a), and a glass unit (not shown) is attached to the rear side of the front frame set 14 so as to cover the opening 101a with a glass plate 137 of an approximately vertically elongated elliptical shape or the like. The glass unit 140 has a double glass structure in which two glass plates 137 are arranged close to each other in the front-rear direction. Note that the approximate center of the window 101 may be linear, and the glass plate 137 may be adjusted to match that shape. In addition, the glass plate 137 is not limited to glass, and any material may be used as long as it is a transparent plate with a certain strength.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the glass frame 23 is provided with various illumination parts 300 (first illumination part 301, second illumination part 302, and third illumination part 303) around the window part 101. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the front frame set 14 is provided with a first illumination part 301 (left side illumination part) with built-in LEDs, etc., at the left side around the window part 101 when viewed from the front, a second illumination part 302 (right side illumination part) with built-in LEDs, etc., at the right side around the window part 101, and a third illumination part 303 (upper illumination part) with built-in LEDs, etc., at the upper side around the window part 101. These illumination parts are controlled to change the light emission mode, such as lighting and blinking, according to changes in the game state at the time of a jackpot or a specified reach, and serve to enhance the presentation effect during the game.

In this pachinko machine 10, the first illumination unit 301, the second illumination unit 302, and the third illumination unit 303 function as jackpot lamps, and notify the player of a jackpot by lighting up or blinking when a jackpot occurs. In addition, the first illumination unit 301 and the second illumination unit 302 of this pachinko machine 10 are equipped with a prize ball lamp 105 that lights up when prize balls are being paid out, and an error display lamp 106 that lights up when a specified error occurs.

A small window 107 made of transparent resin is provided at the lower right corner of the periphery of the window portion 101, allowing part of the surface of the inner frame 12 and the surface of the game board 30 to be viewed. A specific portion of this small window 107 is made flat, so that a certificate stamp or the like affixed to the lower right corner of the game board 30 can be easily read by machine from the flat portion of the small window 107.

In addition, a ball lending operation unit 120 is arranged at the lower right of the window portion 101, and the ball lending operation unit 120 is provided with a ball lending button 121 and a return button 122. When the ball lending operation unit 120 is operated with bills or cards (e.g., prepaid cards) inserted into a card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) arranged on the side of the pachinko machine 10, game balls are lent out in accordance with the operation. The ball lending button 121 is operated to obtain loaned balls based on information recorded on a card or the like (recording medium), and loaned balls are supplied to the upper tray 19 as long as there is a balance on the card or the like. The return button 122 is operated when requesting the return of a card or the like inserted into the card unit. The ball lending operation unit 120 may further be provided with a degree display unit (not shown). This degree display unit (not shown) displays the remaining balance information of the card or the like. In addition, in pachinko machines where game balls are directly dispensed from a ball dispensing device to the upper tray without going through a card unit, i.e., in so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 120 is not necessary. Therefore, decorative stickers or the like are attached to the installation area of the ball dispensing operation unit 120. This allows the ball dispensing operation unit to be shared between pachinko machines that use card units and cash machines.

Next, the configuration of the game board 30 will be described with reference to Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the game board 30 is equipped with a wooden (e.g., plywood) game board 30b that is rectangular when viewed from the front and has both left corners removed, and its peripheral portion (the outer portion of rails 51, 52 described below) is attached in contact with the back side of the resin base 12a of the inner frame 12. The game area 30a, which is approximately the center of the front side of the game board 30, can be seen from the front outside of the front frame set 14 through the glass plate 137 of the approximately elliptical window portion 101 shown in Figure 1 of the base plate body (not shown) of the front frame set 14.

The game board 30 also includes a general winning hole 31, a variable winning device 32, a start winning device for special symbol 1 33a, a start winning device for special symbol 2 33b, a start opening for normal symbols 34, and a variable display unit 35. These are respectively disposed in the through holes formed by router processing in the game board 30, and are attached from the front side of the game board 30 with wood screws or the like.

The special pattern 1 start winning device 33a is a so-called navel type start opening (start chucker) that does not have an electric device that opens and closes the ball entry opening through which the game ball enters. The special pattern 2 start winning device 33b is a so-called electric chute type start opening (start chucker) that has an electric device that opens and closes the ball entry opening through which the game ball enters. The normal pattern start opening 34 is a start opening (through chucker) that opens the electric device of the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b a predetermined number of times due to the game ball passing through a gate (through gate). The variable winning device 32 is a winning device that has an electric device (door member) that opens and closes the large winning opening based on the lottery results of the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a and the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b. The opening and closing of the electric device is not limited to the rotating type shown in the figure, but may be a type that moves linearly forward and backward or left and right.

The special chart 1 start winning device 33a is a starting hole that can receive game balls that have flowed down the left side game area 30al provided on the left side of the variable display unit 35, rolling on the stage section 47B and dropping from directly above. Above the special chart 1 start winning device 33a, a stage section 47B is provided that causes the game balls that have flowed down the left side game area 30al to oscillate (go back and forth) horizontally. Game balls that have fallen from directly above the special chart 1 start winning device 33a on the stage section 47B enter the special chart 1 start winning device 33a.

The special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is a start opening provided in a position where the game ball can enter in the right game area 30ar provided on the right side of the variable display unit 35. A normal symbol start opening (through gate) 34 is provided above the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b. If the result of the normal symbol lottery based on the passage detection to the normal symbol start opening 34 is a win, the electric device of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is opened, allowing the game ball to enter.

The right-side game area 30ar may be configured to allow some of the game balls launched into the right-side game area 30ar to pass through the normal symbol starting hole 34, or it may be configured to allow all of the game balls launched into the right-side game area 30ar to pass through the normal symbol starting hole 34.

The variable winning device 32 is located diagonally below and to the left of the starting winning device 33b for special chart 2, and only game balls flowing down the right game area 30ar can enter the device. In other words, game balls launched by hitting to the right can enter the variable winning device 32 if the variable winning device 32 is in the open state.

The general winning hole 31, the variable winning device 32, the start winning device for special symbol 1 33a, the start winning device for special symbol 2 33b, and the start hole for normal symbols 34 are each provided with a detection switch (not shown) that detects the entry or passage of a game ball, and entries into the start winning device for special symbol 1 33a, the start winning device for special symbol 2 33b, and the start hole for normal symbols 34 are detected individually by the respective detection switches.

In addition, balls entering the general winning port 31, the starting winning device for special chart 1 33a, and the starting winning device for special chart 2 33b are detected by a detection switch (a winning port switch, not shown), and balls entering the variable winning device 32 are detected by a detection switch (a count switch, not shown), and a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out to the upper tray 19 (or lower tray 15) based on the output of this detection switch.

For example, when a ball enters the special 1 starting winning device 33a or the special 2 starting winning device 33b, three prize balls are paid out. When a ball enters the general winning port 31 or the variable winning device 32, ten prize balls are paid out. The number of these prize balls is arbitrary and may be various numbers.

When the game ball passes through the normal symbol starting hole 34, this passage is detected by a detection switch (a passage detection switch, not shown), but even if the ball enters the normal symbol starting hole 34, the game ball is not paid out.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the game board 30 is provided with an outlet 36, and game balls that do not enter the various winning devices are guided through this outlet 36 toward a ball discharge path (not shown). A large number of nails 39 are planted on the game board 30 to appropriately disperse and adjust the falling direction of the game balls. In addition to this, various components (gimmicks) such as windmills may also be arranged.

As shown in FIG. 7, the variable display unit 35 includes a first pattern display device 40 that variably displays a first pattern (e.g., a special pattern) as identification information when the player wins the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a or the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b, a second pattern display device 41 that variably displays a second pattern (e.g., a normal pattern) when the player passes through the normal pattern start opening 34, and a third pattern display device 42 that variably displays a third pattern (e.g., a decorative pattern) when the player wins the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a or the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b. The third pattern display device 42 may be, for example, a display device dedicated to display performance, or a light-transmitting resin plate such as an acrylic panel that can display images and is provided in place of or together with the glass plate 137.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first pattern display device 40 is provided with a first segment display unit 40a, which is, for example, a segment display (for example, a 7-segment LED display with a decimal point) in which a plurality of segment light-emitting units are arranged in a predetermined manner. This first segment display unit 40a emits variable light based on the balls entering the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a and the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, the first pattern display device 40 is provided with a reserve lamp 40c that indicates the number of reserved variable displays in the first segment display unit 40a. The reserve lamp 40c is configured to be displayed on the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 as well.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the third symbol display device 42 is provided with first to fourth reserved displays H1 to H4 corresponding to the four reserved lamps 40c and the reserved display TH corresponding to the currently active variation pattern. FIG. 9(a) shows the start of the pattern variation display corresponding to the reserved display TH when the reserved number is 4, the confirmation of a miss in the pattern variation display corresponding to the reserved display TH when the reserved number is 4, or the variation display of the decorative pattern (third symbol) consisting of the main decorative pattern SZ and the sub decorative pattern FZ in the pattern variation display corresponding to the reserved display TH when the reserved number is 4. The first to fourth reserved displays H1 to H4 and the reserved display TH are displayed in colors according to the likelihood of a jackpot.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 9(b), in order of decreasing probability of a jackpot, the colors are white, blue, red, and rainbow in order of increasing probability of a jackpot. A white hold indicates that the fluctuation pattern corresponding to that hold does not indicate a possibility of a jackpot combination, or that the probability of a jackpot combination is low. A blue hold indicates that the fluctuation pattern corresponding to that hold is more likely to be a jackpot than the fluctuation pattern corresponding to the white hold, but is less likely to be a jackpot than the fluctuation pattern corresponding to the red hold. A red hold indicates that the fluctuation pattern corresponding to that hold is more likely to be a jackpot than the fluctuation pattern corresponding to the blue hold. A rainbow hold indicates that the probability of a jackpot is the highest, and that the fluctuation pattern corresponding to that hold is confirmed to be a jackpot combination. Note that FIG. 9(a) shows that the first to fourth hold displays H1 to H4 and the hold display TH are white.

The first segment display unit 40a generates a variable display state of the first pattern (the light emission variable mode of each segment light emission unit in this embodiment) by randomly or sequentially changing the light emission of each segment light emission unit based on the ball entering the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a and the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b, and when the light emission variable stops, displays whether it is a jackpot or a miss according to the light emission display mode. In addition to whether it is a jackpot or a miss, if it is a jackpot, the type of jackpot may be displayed. For example, displaying the first symbol (e.g., numbers, letters, etc.) with light means the first jackpot, displaying the second symbol (e.g., numbers, letters, etc.) with light means the second jackpot, displaying the third symbol (e.g., numbers, letters, etc.) with light means the third jackpot, and displaying the fourth symbol (e.g., numbers, letters, etc.) with light means a miss. Furthermore, because the light-emitting display by the first segment display unit 40a does not mean anything to an average player, it is a display that does not tell (or is difficult to tell) whether it is a jackpot or a miss, or what type of jackpot it is, just by looking at it.

In addition, in this embodiment, after the end of the jackpot round based on a specific type of jackpot, the game ball enters a support state that supports the game ball to easily enter the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b. During the support state, the player hits the ball to the right to make the game ball enter the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b. When the game ball hit from the right passes through the normal symbol start hole 34, the lottery for the second symbol to determine whether it is a win or lose and the result is displayed in an extremely short time. If the lottery for the second symbol results in a win, the electric device of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is opened for a predetermined time. Therefore, during the time-saving state or the probability change state, the game ball that passes through the normal symbol start hole 34 is more likely to enter the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b.

In addition, as the first pattern display device 40, a single or multiple LEDs capable of emitting at least two colors may be adopted. Specifically, in the case where two LEDs capable of emitting red and blue light are adopted as the first pattern display device 40, the color of light emitted by each LED is alternately changed to generate a variable display state of the first pattern (the color of light emitted by each LED). For example, when both LEDs stop in a red light emitting state, it indicates a first big win, when one LED stops in a red light emitting state and the other LED goes out, it indicates a second big win, when both LEDs stop in a blue light emitting state, it indicates a third big win, and when both LEDs stop in a light emitting state of different colors, it indicates a miss. In addition, at least one of the first segment display unit 40a and the hold lamp 40c constituting the first pattern display device 40 may be constituted by a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, a CRT, a dot matrix display device, or other types of display devices, and may be configured to display on the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 in particular. In addition, the pattern displayed by the first pattern display device 40 may be a configuration in which multiple types of letters are displayed, multiple types of symbols are displayed, multiple types of characters are displayed, or multiple types of colors are displayed.

The second symbol display device 41 has a display section 41a for the second symbol, for example a "○", a display section 41b for the second symbol, for example an "X", and a hold lamp 41c. Each time the game ball passes through the third start hole 34, the display pattern (normal pattern) by the display sections 41a and 41b changes, and when the changing display stops at a predetermined pattern, the lower side start winning device 33b for special symbol 2 is activated (opened) for a predetermined time. The number of times the game ball has passed through the third start hole 34 is held up to a maximum of four times, and the number of times that it has been held is displayed by lighting the hold lamp 41c. The display sections 41a and 41b have an LED (light-emitting diode) inside, and the display is changed by switching the light emitted by this LED (or the light on the lamp). In addition, at least one of the second pattern display device 41 and the hold lamp 41c may be configured with other types of display devices such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, a CRT or a dot matrix display device, or may be configured to display on the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42.

In the third pattern display device 42, when the first pattern display device 40 displays the variation of the first pattern and a specified display (stop display) based on winning the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a and the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b, the third pattern display device 42 displays the variation of the third pattern and a specified display (stop display) accordingly. In addition to the display performance triggered by winning the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a and the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b, the third pattern display device 42 also displays the display performance during the specific game state to which it transitions after winning the jackpot.

The third pattern display device 42 is, for example, a liquid crystal display device, and the display contents are controlled by a display control device 45 described later. On the third pattern display device 42, three decorative pattern rows L, M, and R, left, center, and right, are displayed, for example, as shown in FIG. 9. Each decorative pattern row L, M, and R is composed of a plurality of decorative patterns, and these decorative patterns are variably displayed on the third pattern display device 42 so that they are scrolled for each decorative pattern row L, M, and R. In this embodiment, the third pattern display device 42 (liquid crystal display device) is equipped with a large liquid crystal display, for example, 11 inches in size. In the variable display device unit 35, a center frame 47A is arranged on the front side of the third pattern display device 42 so as to substantially surround the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, a liquid crystal display device is used as the third pattern display device 42, but other types of image display devices (for example, PDP: plasma display panel, EL: electroluminescence display, organic EL, etc.) may be used.

The variable winning device 32 shown in FIG. 7 is normally in a closed state in which the game ball cannot win a prize (or it may be in a closed state in which it is difficult to win a prize), and in the event of a jackpot, it is repeatedly operated between an open state in which the game ball can easily win a prize and the normal closed state. The period from when the variable winning device 32 is in the open state to when it is in the closed state is called a round. In the jackpot state, this round game is repeated a predetermined number of times.

In this way, in the big win round game, the variable winning device 32 is repeatedly operated between the open state and the normal closed state, many game balls enter the variable winning device 32 (win), and a large number of game balls are paid out in response to the win, making it an advantageous game state for the player. However, in the big win round game, the period during which the variable winning device 32 is in the open state is extremely short, and it may be difficult for game balls to win even in the open state, but since such a big win round game is switched to the support state after the end of the game, the player's balls are less likely to decrease, making it an advantageous game state for the player.

In other words, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment is capable of transitioning between a normal game state (game ball consumption state) in which the number of game balls inserted (the number of game balls fired into the game area 30a by the launching device 229) is greater than the number of prize balls paid out (the number of prize balls paid out based on game balls entering the general winning port 31, the variable winning device 32, the start winning device for special chart 1 33a, the start winning device for special chart 2 33b, etc.), and an advantageous game state (for example, a jackpot round game state and a support state which occurs thereafter) in which the number of prize balls paid out is greater than or the same as the number of game balls inserted, or the difference therebetween is smaller than the normal game state.

More specifically, when a game ball wins the special chart 1 start winning device 33a or the special chart 2 start winning device 33b, the third pattern of the third pattern display device 42 is displayed in a variable manner in accordance with the variable display of the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40. The variable display based on the win in the special chart 2 start winning device 33b is changed in priority to the variable display based on the win in the special chart 1 start winning device 33a, but it is also possible to change in the order of the wins in the special chart 1 start winning device 33a and the special chart 2 start winning device 33b. When it is determined that the display of the first segment display unit 40a and the third pattern display device 42 after each change has stopped is a symbol and combination indicating a preset jackpot, a jackpot round game state is generated.

The variable winning device 32 is configured so that its large winning port 32a is in a predetermined open state. Specifically, the large winning port 32a of the variable winning device 32 is repeatedly opened a predetermined number of times (for example, 2, 8, or 16 rounds) with the passage of a predetermined time or a predetermined number of winnings in the open state being one round. In addition, the number of times that the game ball has passed through the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a and the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b is reserved up to four times, and the reserved number is displayed by the reserved lamps 40c1, 40c2, 40c3, and 40c4 (collectively referred to as reserved lamps 40c). The reserved lamps 40c are lit in the order of 40c1, 40c2, 40c3, and 40c4. The reserved lamps 40c may be configured to display reserved on a part of the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42.

As shown in FIG. 7, the game board 30 is provided with two rails 51, 52 for guiding the game balls launched from the launching device 229 (see FIG. 3) to the top of the game board 30, and the game balls launched in response to the rotation of the game ball launching handle 18 are guided to a predetermined game area 30a through the ball guide passage 49 of the two rails 51, 52, which will be described later. The two rails 51, 52 are long, stainless steel metal strips, and are attached to the game board 30 on both the inside and outside. The inner rail 51 is formed in a shape that is approximately a vertical ellipse, excluding the area from the upper left diagonal to the lower right diagonal in a clockwise direction, when viewed from the front of the game board 30. The outer rail 52 is formed so that a part (mainly the left side) faces the inner rail 51. In this case, the guide rail is made up of an inner rail 51 and an outer rail 52, and the portion where these rails 51, 52 are parallel with a certain distance between them (the portion on the left side when facing the ball) forms the ball guide passage 49. The ball guide passage 49 is formed in the shape of a groove that has an abutment surface with the game board 30, that is, a groove that is open on the front side.

A return ball prevention member 53 is attached to the tip of the inner rail 51 (upper left in FIG. 7). This prevents a game ball that has been guided from the ball guide passage 49 between the inner rail 51 and the outer rail 52 to the top of the game board 30 from returning back into the ball guide passage 49. In addition, when the game board 30 is attached to the inner frame 12, a return rubber 54 is located at a position on the outer rail 52 that corresponds to the maximum flight part of the game ball (upper right in FIG. 7: the part corresponding to the tip of the outer rail 52). Therefore, a game ball launched with a force greater than a predetermined value hits the return rubber 54 and bounces back. The outer rail 52 is a long stainless steel metal strip, which makes the flight of the game ball smoother, that is, reduces the frictional resistance of the game ball. As shown in FIG. 7, the play area 30a is divided from the tip of the outer rail 52 (upper right in FIG. 7) to the right tip of the inner rail 51 (lower right in FIG. 7) by a wall 56 on the play area 30a side of the first pattern display device 40 and a wall 55 (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 7) formed on the inner frame 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lower right corner of the game board 30 is a space for attaching a sticker SL (which may be a plate) such as a certificate stamp (for example, with a manufacturing number written on it). By attaching a sticker SL such as a certificate stamp to the lower right corner of the game board 30, it is possible to ensure uniqueness between the game board 30 and the certificate stamp.

Next, the play area 30a of the play board 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the play area 30a is defined in a substantially vertically oval shape by the inner periphery (inner and outer rails) of the inner rail 51 and the outer rail 52, and in this embodiment in particular, the play area 30a defined on the surface of the play board 30 is configured to be large.

In this embodiment, the play area 30a is the area surrounded by the inner rail 51 and the outer rail 52 when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10, excluding the guide rail area which is the parallel portion of the inner and outer rails 51, 52. Therefore, when referring to the play area 30a, the guide rail portion is not included, so the left limit position of the play area 30a is determined by the inner rail 51, not the outer rail 52. The right limit position of the play area 30a is determined by the wall portion 55 (part of the inner frame 12). The lower limit position of the play area 30a is determined by the inner rail 51. The upper limit position of the play area 30a is determined by the outer rail 52.

Although detailed drawings are omitted, the launching device 229 receives game balls one by one from a ball outlet (not shown) of the front frame set 14 (a ball outlet leading from the downstream end of the upper tray 19).

Next, the configuration of the back of the pachinko machine 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, on the back of the pachinko machine 10 (actually the back of the inner frame 12 and the game board 30), various control boards are arranged vertically and horizontally, and predetermined control boards are stacked front to back (for example, the payout control board 311a in FIG. 8 described later is located at the front side in the rear view, and the power supply control board of the power supply device 313 and the launch control board of the launch control device 312 are located further back than the payout control board 311a). In addition, a game ball supply device (payout mechanism 352) for supplying game balls and a resin protective cover 353 are attached. In this embodiment, various control boards are mounted separately on multiple (three) mounting bases 230 to 232 shown in FIG. 3, which are used as each control board unit, and each control board unit is individually attached to the back of the inner frame 12 or the game board 30. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the main control device 261 is mounted on the mounting base 230, the sub-control device 262 is mounted on the mounting base 232, and each is unitized, while the payout control device 311, launch control device 312, and power supply device 313 are mounted on the mounting base 231, and each is unitized.

As shown in FIG. 3, the payout mechanism 352 is configured by arranging various components (a tank 355, a tank rail 356, a case rail 357, a payout device 358, and a power switch board 382, which will be described later) in an inverted L-shape when viewed from the rear of the pachinko machine 10, and the payout mechanism 352 and protective cover 353 are also integrated into one unit, and this unit is sometimes referred to as a back pack, so here this unit is referred to as the "back pack unit 203".

The back pack unit 203 is configured so that it can be attached and detached unit by unit without using any tools, and in addition, a support shaft is provided in part so that it can be opened and closed relative to the back of the inner frame 12 or the game board 30. This is also a design that makes it possible to easily check hidden components, etc., even if the back pack unit 203 and other components are stacked one on top of the other.

In addition, the back of the game board 30 is provided with a winning detection mechanism for detecting the passage of game balls through various winning holes. Specifically, a winning hole switch (not shown) is provided at a position corresponding to the general winning hole 31 on the front side of the game board 30, and a count switch (not shown) is provided in the variable winning device 32. The count switch is a switch that counts winning balls. In addition, an operating hole switch (not shown) for the special winning device 33a for special drawing 1 and an operating hole switch (not shown) for the special winning device 33b for special drawing 2 are provided at positions corresponding to the special winning device 33a for special drawing 1 and the special winning device 33b for special drawing 2, respectively, and the entry of game balls into the special winning device 33a for special drawing 1 and the special winning device 33b for special drawing 2 are detected by the respective operating hole switches. A gate switch is provided at a position corresponding to the normal symbol starting hole 34, and the passage of the game ball through the normal symbol starting hole 34 is detected by the gate switch.

The winning port switch (not shown) of the general winning port 31 and the gate switch of the starting port 34 for normal symbols are connected to a panel connection board (not shown) through electrical wiring (not shown), which is in turn connected to a main control board 261a (see FIG. 8) in the main control device 261 described below. In addition, the count switch of the variable winning device 32 is connected to a large winning port relay terminal board (not shown), which is also connected to the main control board 261a. In contrast, the operation port switches of the starting winning device 33a for special symbol 1 and the starting winning device 33b for special symbol 2 are directly connected to the main control board 261a without going through a relay board.

Others are not shown, but the variable winning device 32 is provided with a large winning opening solenoid for opening the large winning opening 32a, and the special drawing 2 start winning device 33b is provided with an operating opening solenoid for opening the electric device.

The detection results detected by each of the winning detection mechanisms are input to the main control board 261a in the main control device 261, which will be described later, and the main control board 261a transmits a payout command (number of game balls to be paid out) according to the winning status at each time to the payout control board 311a. The payout of a predetermined number of game balls is then carried out based on the output of the payout control board 311a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main control device 261 is mounted on the lower mounting base 230 in the rear view of the pachinko machine 10, and the sub-control device 262 is mounted on the upper mounting base 232 in the rear view of the pachinko machine 10. Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the main control device 261 is equipped with a main control board 261a including a CPU 501 that mainly controls, a ROM 502 that stores a game program, a RAM 503 that stores necessary data according to the progress of the game, an input/output port 505 that communicates with various devices, a random number generator (not shown) used in various lotteries, and a clock pulse generating circuit (not shown) used for time counting and synchronization, and the main control board 261a is housed in a board box 263 (enclosure means) made of a transparent resin material or the like. The board box 263 is equipped with a box base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base. The box base and box cover are connected by a sealing unit 261c in an unopenable manner, thereby sealing the board box 263.

The sub-control device 262 further comprises a CPU 551 which controls the audio and lamp display and the display control device 45 according to instructions from the main control board 261a in the main control device 261, and a sub-control board 262a which includes a ROM 552, a RAM 553, a bus line 554 and an input/output port 555, etc., and this sub-control board 262a is housed in a board box made of a transparent resin material or the like. Power supplied from a power supply board, which will be described later, is output to the display control device 45 via the sub-control device 262.

As shown in FIG. 3, the payout control device 311, launch control device 312, power supply device 313 and card unit connection board 314 are mounted on the mounting base 231. The payout control device 311 is equipped with a control board including a CPU which is the center of control, as well as ROM, RAM, various ports, etc. The launch control device 312 is equipped with a launch control board. The power supply device 313 is equipped with a power control board. The payout control board 311a of the payout control device 311 controls the payout of prize balls and loan balls. The launch control board of the launch control device 312 controls the launch device 229 (see FIG. 8) in accordance with the operation of the game ball launch handle 18 by the player, and the power supply board of the power supply device 313 generates and outputs the specified power supply voltage required by the various control devices, etc. The launching device 229 of this embodiment employs a solenoid-type launching component that launches game balls by striking them with a launching hammer (not shown) that can move back and forth according to whether or not electricity is applied to a launch solenoid (not shown). As the launching device 229, various types of components may be employed, such as a mechanical launching component that launches game balls by striking them with a launching hammer that operates according to the drive of a launching motor, or an electromagnetic launching component that launches game balls by generating an electromagnetic field. The card unit connection board 314 is electrically connected to the ball lending operation unit 120 (see FIG. 1) on the front of the pachinko machine and the card unit (not shown), and receives commands for ball lending operations by the player and outputs them to the payout control device 311. In a cash machine in which game balls are directly loaned from a ball lending device or the like to the upper tray 19 without going through a card unit, the card unit connection board 314 is not necessary.

The dispensing control device 311, the firing control device 312, the power supply device 313 and the card unit connection board 314 are each housed in a board box made of a transparent resin material or the like. In particular, in the dispensing control device 311, similar to the main control device 261 described above, the box base and box cover constituting the board box 311b (enclosure means) are connected by a sealing unit (sealing means) in an unopenable manner, thereby sealing the board box 311b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the payout control device 311 is provided with a state return switch 311c. For example, when the state return switch 311c is pressed in the event of a payout error, such as a ball jam in the payout motor, the payout motor 358a (see FIG. 8) is rotated slowly in the forward direction, and the ball jam is resolved (returned to the normal state).

The power supply monitoring board 261b is also provided with a RAM erase switch 323. The pachinko machine 10 has a backup function, so that in the unlikely event of a power outage, the state at the time of the power outage is retained, and when power is restored, the state at the time of the power outage can be restored. Therefore, since the state before the power outage is stored and retained when the power is turned off in the normal manner (for example, when the hall closes), if you want to return to the initial state when the power is turned on, you can turn on the power while pressing the RAM erase switch 323.

Next, the configuration of the back pack unit 203 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the back pack unit 203 is an integrated unit of a resin-molded protective cover 353 and a game ball payout mechanism 352.

The rear pack unit 203 is provided with a tank 355 at the top that opens upward, and this tank 355 is successively replenished with game balls supplied from the island equipment (game island equipment) of the game hall. Below the tank 355, a tank rail 356 is connected, which has, for example, two horizontal rows of ball passages and gently slopes downward toward the downstream side, and further, a case rail 357 is connected vertically to the downstream side of the tank rail 356. A payout device 358 is provided at the most downstream part of the case rail 357, and the required number of game balls are appropriately paid out by a predetermined electrical configuration such as a payout motor 358a. The game balls paid out from the payout device 358 are then supplied to the upper tray 19 through a payout passage (not shown) or the like.

The tank rail 356 is also provided with a vibrator 360 for applying vibrations to the tank rail 356. For example, the vibrator 360 is fastened to the tank rail 356 with, for example, two screws. Furthermore, the vibrator 360 does not come into surface contact with the tank rail 356, but rather comes into contact with the two screws, so that the vibrations from the vibrator 360 are transmitted to the tank rail 356 more effectively. Therefore, if a ball jam occurs near the tank rail 356, the ball jam is eliminated by driving the vibrator 360.

The dispensing mechanism unit 352 is provided with a dispensing relay board (not shown) that relays dispensing command signals from the dispensing control device 311 to the dispensing device 358, and a power switch board 382 for taking in main power from the outside. The power switch board 382 is supplied with main power, for example, 24 V AC, via a voltage converter, and the power is turned ON or OFF by switching the power switch 382a.

The payout mechanism 352, which extends from the tank 355 to the payout passage (not shown), is made of a conductive resin material (e.g., conductive polycarbonate resin) and is partially grounded. This prevents noise caused by static electricity from being generated by the game balls.

As shown in FIG. 3, an inner frame open detection switch 388 is provided on the upper right side of the inner frame 12 to detect when the inner frame 12 is opened relative to the outer frame 11. When the inner frame 12 is opened, an output is sent from the inner frame open detection switch 388 to the computer for use in the hall (inside the pachinko parlor).

Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be explained using FIG. 8. The pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a main control device 261, a payout control device 311, a firing control device 312, a sub-control device 262, a display control device 45, an audio output control device 47, a power supply device 313, and the like. Each of these devices will be explained in detail below.

The main control device 261 of the pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a CPU 501, which is a one-chip microcomputer that is a calculation device. The CPU 501 contains a ROM 502 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the CPU 501, a RAM 503 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 502, and various circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission/reception circuit.

RAM 503 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data by receiving backup voltage from power supply device 313 even after the power to pachinko machine 10 is turned off, and RAM 503 has memory and areas for temporarily storing various types of data, etc.

In other words, when the power is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes normal processing to the end, so that the RAM 503 only needs to store and hold the contents of the counter buffer and reserved ball storage area at the time of power outage (including the time of power outage; the same applies below), and when the power is turned back on, the state of the pachinko machine 10 can be restored to the state before the power was cut off. Specifically, there is no need to provide a dedicated backup area in the RAM 503 for storing the values of each register and I/O, etc., regarding the game information during normal processing when the power is cut off. Note that the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the CPU 501 is configured to receive a power outage signal S1 output from the power outage monitoring circuit 542 (described later) when the power is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when a power outage occurs, the power outage processing (NMI interrupt processing) is immediately executed.

The CPU 501, which incorporates the ROM 502 and RAM 503, is connected to an input/output port 505 via a bus line 504 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 505 is connected to a RAM erase switch circuit 543 (described later), a payout control device 311, a launch control device 312, a sub-control device 262, a first pattern display device 40, a second pattern display device 41, and other switches (not shown). The main control device 261 also has a function of controlling the variable display of the first pattern on the first pattern display device 40 and the variable display of the second pattern on the second pattern display device 41.

The RAM 513 of the payout control device 311, like the RAM 503 of the main control device 261 described above, is configured so that data can be retained (backed up) by receiving backup voltage from the power supply device 313 even after the power to the pachinko machine 10 is turned off, and the RAM 513 is equipped with memory and areas for temporarily storing various types of data, etc.

In the event that the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the RAM 513 stores and holds information about the state of the pachinko machine 10 when the power supply is turned back on, so that the state of the pachinko machine 10 can be restored to the state before the power supply was turned off. In other words, the storage of this RAM 513 is performed when the power supply is turned off by the NMI interrupt processing and the latter half of the payout control processing steps, and conversely, the stored information in the RAM 513 is restored during the power restoration processing when the power supply is turned on.

The CPU 511, which incorporates the ROM 512 and RAM 513, is connected to an input/output port 515 via a bus line 514 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 515 is connected to the main control device 261, the launch control device 312, the payout motor 358a, etc.

As shown in FIG. 8, the launch control device 312 permits or prohibits the launch of game balls by the launch device 229, and the launch device 229 is permitted to operate when a certain condition is met. Specifically, the launch control device 312 outputs a launch permission signal S7 to the main control device 261 on the condition that all of the following have been input: a card unit connection signal S4 from the payout control device 311 (a signal output when the above-mentioned card unit is connected to the pachinko machine 10), a touch detection signal S5 output when the player touches the game ball launch handle 18, and a launch maintenance signal S6 output when the launch stop switch 18a provided on the game ball launch handle 18 for stopping launching has not been operated. In addition, a volume signal S10 corresponding to the amount of operation of the game ball launch handle 18 is input from the game ball launch handle 18 to the launch control device 312, and the launch control device 312 outputs this volume signal S10 to the main control device 261.

That is, the launch permission signal S7 is ON (high level) during the period in which it is in the launch permission state, and the launch permission signal S7 is OFF (low level) during the period in which it is OFF (low level) during the period in which it is OFF (low level). That is, the main control device 261 repeatedly outputs to the launch control device 312, at a predetermined repeating period, a launch control signal S8 (pulse signal) that controls a launch solenoid (not shown) that launches the game ball, and a ball feed control signal S9 (pulse signal) that controls a ball feed solenoid that sends the game ball to the launch rail. The amplitude value of the launch control signal S8 (pulse signal) is determined in the main control device 261 based on the volume signal S10, and for example, the greater the amount of operation of the game ball launch handle 18, the greater the amplitude value of the launch control signal S8 (pulse signal). The launch control device 312 drives and controls the launch device 229 based on the launch control signal S8 and the ball feed control signal S9, and the game ball is launched with a strength according to the amount of operation of the game ball launch handle 18. Conversely, while the input launch permission signal S7 is OFF, the main control device 261 does not output the launch control signal S8 and the ball feed control signal S9 to the launch control device 312, and the launch device 229 does not launch any game balls.

The display control device 45 controls the variable display of the third pattern (decorative pattern) in the third pattern display device 42. This display control device 45 includes a CPU 521, a ROM (program ROM) 522, a work RAM 523, a video RAM 524, a character ROM 525, an image controller 526, an input port 527, an output port 529, and bus lines 530 and 531. The input of the input port 527 is connected to the output of the sub-control device 262, and the output of the input port 527 is connected to the CPU 521, the ROM 522, the work RAM 523, and the image controller 526. In addition, the output port 529 is connected to the image controller 526 via the bus line 531, and the output of the output port 529 is connected to the third pattern display device 42, which is a liquid crystal display device.

The CPU 521 of the display control device 45 controls the decorative pattern display in the third pattern display device 42 based on various commands sent from the main control device 261 after being edited by the sub-control device 262. The ROM 522 is a memory for storing various control programs and fixed value data executed by the CPU 521, and the work RAM 523 is a memory for temporarily storing work data and flags used when the CPU 521 executes various programs.

Video RAM 524 is a memory for storing display data to be displayed on third pattern display device 42, and the display contents of third pattern display device 42 are changed by rewriting the contents of this video RAM 524. Character ROM 525 is a memory for storing character data such as decorative patterns to be displayed on third pattern display device 42. Image controller 526 adjusts the timing of CPU 521, video RAM 524, and output port 529 to mediate data reading and writing, and also reads display data stored in video RAM 524 from character ROM 525 at a predetermined timing and displays it on third pattern display device 42.

The sound output control device 46 controls the sound output in the sound output unit 24a. This sound output control device 46 is equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and executes processing to control the output of normal sound and the output of specific sound in accordance with the display performance in the third pattern display device 42. In addition, the sound output control device 46 controls the adjustment of the volume through the operation of the left selection button 82 and the right selection button 83, as described below. The ROM stores programs and sound data for the sound output processing. The sound output unit 24a is equipped with an amplifier and speaker for outputting sound, etc.

The power supply device 313 also includes a power supply unit 541 for supplying power to each part of the pachinko machine 10. The power supply unit 541 supplies the necessary operating power to the main control device 261, the payout control device 311, etc., through a power supply path not shown. In summary, the power supply unit 541 takes in 24V AC power supplied from an external source, generates a +12V power supply for driving various switches and motors, a +5V power supply for logic, a backup power supply for RAM backup, etc., and supplies these +12V power supply, +5V power supply, and backup power supplies to the main control device 261, the payout control device 311, etc. Note that the firing control device 312 is supplied with operating power (+12V power supply, +5V power supply, etc.) via the payout control device 311.

As shown in FIG. 8, the main control device 261 includes a main control board 261a and a power supply monitoring board 261b separate from the main control board 261a, housed in a board box 263 made of a transparent resin material or the like. The power supply monitoring board 261b includes a power failure monitoring circuit 542 that monitors power interruptions due to power failures or the like, and a RAM erase switch circuit 543 that is connected to the RAM erase switch 323.

The power outage monitoring circuit 542 is a circuit for outputting a power outage signal S1 to each NMI terminal of the CPU 501 of the main control unit 261 and the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 when the power is cut off due to a power outage or the like. The power outage monitoring circuit 542 monitors the 24 V AC voltage in the power supply unit 541, and if the time that this voltage falls below 22 V exceeds, for example, 20 milliseconds, it determines that a power outage (power outage) has occurred, and outputs a power outage signal S1 to the main control unit 261 and the dispensing control device 311. By outputting this power outage signal S1, the main control unit 261 and the dispensing control device 311 recognize the occurrence of a power outage and execute power outage processing (NMI interrupt processing).

The power supply unit 541 is configured to maintain the output of 5 volts, which is the drive voltage for the control system, at a normal value for a period of time sufficient to execute the power failure processing, even after the 24 volts AC monitored by the power supply unit 541 has fallen below 22 volts for more than 20 milliseconds. Therefore, the main control unit 261 and the dispensing control unit 311 can execute and complete the power failure processing normally.

The RAM clear switch circuit 543 is a circuit for taking in the switch signal of the RAM clear switch 323 and clearing the backup data in the RAM 503 of the main control device 261 and the RAM 513 of the payout control device 311 according to the state of the switch 323. When the RAM clear switch 323 is pressed, the RAM clear switch circuit 543 outputs a RAM clear signal S2 to the main control board 261a. When the pachinko machine 10 is powered on with the RAM clear switch 323 pressed (including powering on after a power outage is resolved), the data in the RAM 503 is cleared in the main control device 261, and when the payout control device 311 receives an initialization command from the main control device 261, the data in the RAM 513 is cleared.

Meanwhile, the third symbol display device 42 (liquid crystal display device) has three decorative symbol rows L, M, R, left, center, and right, as shown in FIG. 9, and three decorative symbols, an upper decorative symbol, a middle decorative symbol, and a lower decorative symbol, are displayed in a variable manner for each of the decorative symbol rows L, M, and R. In this embodiment, the series of symbols is composed of main decorative symbols SZ, each of which is numbered "0" to "9," and secondary decorative symbols FZ, which are diamond-shaped picture symbols. The main decorative symbols SZ are displayed in ascending or descending order of the numbers, and secondary decorative symbols FZ are arranged between each main decorative symbol SZ to form a series of decorative symbol rows L, M, and R. The main decorative symbols SZ and secondary decorative symbols FZ are displayed in a variable manner from top to bottom with a periodicity.

In this case, the series of decorative patterns are displayed in descending order (i.e., in the order in which the main decorative pattern SZ number decreases) in the left decorative pattern column L, and in the center decorative pattern column M and right decorative pattern column R, the series of decorative patterns are displayed in ascending order (i.e., in the order in which the main decorative pattern SZ number increases). Then, the variable display stops in the order of left decorative pattern column L → right decorative pattern column R → center decorative pattern column M, and when it stops, if the main decorative pattern SZ is aligned in a jackpot pattern combination (in this embodiment, a combination of the same main decorative pattern SZ) on any of the five effective lines on the third pattern display device 42, namely the upper line L1, middle line L2, lower line L3, right upward line L4, and left upward line L5, a special game video is displayed as a jackpot.

The main decorative pattern SZ is composed of a number section SZa in which numbers are drawn, and a decorative section SZb in which characters such as people and animals are decoratively drawn. For example, the main decorative pattern SZ "1" arranged in the three decorative pattern rows L, M, and R is each composed of a number section SZa "1" and a decorative section SZb in which the same character (a different character from "2" to "9") is drawn within a frame surrounding the "1". The same is true for the main decorative patterns SZ "2" to "9".

Next, we will explain the operation of the pachinko machine 10 configured as described above.

In this embodiment, the CPU 501 in the main control device 261 uses random numbers related to the operation of the reels and other random numbers used for play to perform the lottery (jackpot lottery: jackpot lottery for the first pattern) and pattern display settings for the first pattern display device 40, the lottery (winning lottery for the second pattern) and pattern display settings for the second pattern display device 41, and the lottery and settings related to the variable display of the decorative pattern (third pattern) of the third pattern display device 42.

Specifically, in the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the random numbers related to the operation of the reels are a jackpot random number counter C1 used to draw a jackpot on the first pattern display device 40, a jackpot pattern counter C2 used to select a jackpot pattern on the first pattern display device 40, an initial value random number counter CINI1 used to set the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1, a second pattern random number counter C4 used to draw a jackpot on the second pattern display device 41, and an initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 used to set the initial value of the second pattern random number counter C4.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, this pachinko machine 10 uses, as other random numbers for use in the game, a stop pattern selection counter C3 used to select a stop pattern to roughly identify the type of variation pattern when selecting a variation pattern of the decorative pattern of the third pattern display device 42, variation type counters CS1, CS2, and CS3 used to select the variation pattern of the decorative pattern of the third pattern display device 42, and a second pattern loss pattern counter C5 used to select a loss pattern of the second pattern display device 41. Each of the counters mentioned above is configured by a program executed by the CPU 501.

For example, "stop pattern 0" indicates a group of complete miss fluctuation patterns consisting of multiple types of complete miss fluctuation patterns, "stop pattern 1" indicates a group of front and rear miss reach fluctuation patterns consisting of multiple types of front and rear miss reach fluctuation patterns, "stop pattern 2" indicates a group of non-front and rear miss reach fluctuation patterns consisting of multiple types of non-front and rear miss reach fluctuation patterns, and "stop pattern 3" indicates a group of jackpot fluctuation patterns consisting of multiple types of jackpot fluctuation patterns.

All of these counters C1-C5, CINI1-CINI2, CS1-CS3 are loop counters that add "1" to the previous value each time they are updated (hereinafter referred to as "update") and return to "0" after reaching the maximum value. Each counter is updated periodically, and the updated value is appropriately stored in a counter buffer set in a predetermined area of RAM 503 shown in FIG. 10. RAM 503 also has one execution area and a reserved ball storage area consisting of four reserved areas (first reserved area, second reserved area, third reserved area, fourth reserved area), and each of these areas is configured to store values such as the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot pattern counter C2, and the stop pattern selection counter C3 in chronological order according to the winning history of the game balls in the special chart 1 start winning device 33a and the special chart 2 start winning device 33b. The entry of the game ball into the special chart 1 start winning device 33a and the special chart 2 start winning device 33b is also called the establishment of the start condition. Each value stored in the execution area is called the change display of the executed portion, and each value stored in the reserved ball storage area is also called the change display of the unexecuted portion.

Specifically, if the start condition is met during a period when neither the executed nor unexecuted variable display is stored in the execution area and reserved ball storage area, the executed variable display is stored in the execution area. If the start condition is met during a period when the executed variable display is stored in the execution area, the unexecuted variable display is stored in the first reserved area, the second reserved area, the third reserved area, and the fourth reserved area in that order. When the executed variable display is stored in the execution area, a variable non-execution condition is met that does not execute the pattern variable display for the unexecuted variable display stored in the reserved ball storage area.

The unexecuted change displays stored in the first reserve area, second reserve area, third reserve area, and fourth reserve area are also called the first reserve, second reserve, third reserve, and fourth reserve.

Each of the above counters will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 10. The jackpot random number counter C1 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of "0" to "599", for example, and to return to "0" after reaching the maximum value (i.e. "599"). In particular, when the jackpot random number counter C1 goes around once, the value of the initial value random number counter CINI1 at that time is read as the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1. The initial value random number counter CINI1 is a loop counter (value = 0 to 599) similar to the jackpot random number counter C1, and is updated once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 25) described later, and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of the normal processing (see FIG. 19) described later. The jackpot random number counter C1 is updated periodically (in this embodiment, once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 25) described later), and is stored in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 when the game ball wins the special chart 1 start winning device 33a or the special chart 2 start winning device 33b.

The winning value of the jackpot random number counter C1, that is, the number of random numbers that will result in a jackpot, is set to two types, one for low probability and one for high probability. The number of random numbers that will result in a jackpot at low probability is two, with a value of "150,450", and the number of random numbers that will result in a jackpot at high probability is 16, with a value of "50-57,350-357". In other words, the jackpot probability at low probability is 1/300, and at high probability is 16/300. Note that high probability refers to a state in which a jackpot is reached by a predetermined probability-changing pattern, for example, and the probability of a subsequent jackpot is increased as an added value, that is, a so-called "probability change", and normal time (low probability) refers to a time when such a probability change state is not in place. In addition, the high probability state (probability change state) continues after the end of the probability change jackpot or latent probability change jackpot (after the large prize opening 32a of the variable prize device 32 is opened for, for example, 16 rounds) until the next jackpot or a predetermined number of fluctuations. In this embodiment, the probability change state continues until 100 fluctuations have occurred after the end of the jackpot round.

The jackpot symbol counter C2 determines the symbol (in this embodiment, the final display symbol after the first segment display unit 40a changes) when the first segment display unit 40 of the first symbol display device 40 stops changing during a jackpot. In this embodiment, the jackpot symbol counter C2 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of "0" to "99", for example, and to return to "0" after reaching the maximum value (i.e., "9"). The jackpot symbol counter C2 is updated periodically (once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 25) described later) in the same manner as the jackpot random number counter C1 described above, and is stored in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 when the game ball wins the special chart 1 start winning device 33a or the special chart 2 start winning device 33b.

The jackpot lottery table using the jackpot random number counter C1 and the jackpot pattern counter C2 will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11(a) is a table for drawing the jackpot for special pattern 1, and (b) is a table for drawing the jackpot for special pattern 2.

As shown in (a), in the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table, when the jackpot random number counter C1 is a win and the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "0" and "9", the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the third symbol, and the decorative pattern is aligned with the "7" pattern, as described below. Next, when the aforementioned jackpot random number counter C1 is a win and the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "10" and "49", the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the second symbol, and the decorative pattern is aligned with odd numbers excluding "7", such as "1", "3", "5", and "9". Also, if the jackpot random number counter C1 is a win and the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "50" and "99", the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the first symbol, and the even number patterns are lined up, such as "2", "4", "6", and "8". If the jackpot random number counter C1 is a miss, regardless of the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2, the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the fourth symbol, and the decorative patterns are a combination that indicates a miss.

As shown in (b), in the special chart 2 jackpot lottery table, when the jackpot random number counter C1 is a win and the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "0" and "19", the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the third symbol, and the decorative pattern is aligned with the "7" pattern, as described below. Next, when the aforementioned jackpot random number counter C1 is a win and the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "20" and "49", the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the second symbol, and the decorative pattern is aligned with odd numbers excluding "7", such as "1", "3", "5", and "9". Also, if the jackpot random number counter C1 is a hit and the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "50" and "99", the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the third symbol, and the even number patterns are lined up, such as "2", "4", "6", and "8". If the jackpot random number counter C1 is a miss, regardless of the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2, the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 stops at the fourth symbol, and the decorative patterns are a combination that indicates a miss.

The relationship between the jackpot symbol and the type of win will be explained. This relationship is common to the special jackpot 1 lottery table and the special jackpot 2 lottery table. If the jackpot symbol is a "7" symbol, the type of win will be a 16R special jackpot with 16 rounds and a special jackpot state. If the jackpot symbol is an odd number symbol such as a "1", "3", "5", or "9", the type of win will be an 8R special jackpot with 8 rounds and a special jackpot state. If the jackpot symbol is an even number symbol such as a "2", "4", "6", or "8", the type of win will be an 8R normal jackpot with 8 rounds and no special jackpot state.

The relationship between the winning type and the ending time is explained below. The opening time is the time for the opening performance from the start of the jackpot game state to the start of the first round. The opening time is set to 10 seconds, which is the same for all winning types. The opening time is the same for the special chart 1 and special chart 2 jackpot lottery tables.

The relationship between the winning type and the ending time is explained. The ending time is the time for the ending performance from the end of the final round to the start of the next game state. In the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table, the ending time for the 16R certainty jackpot is set to 35 seconds, and the ending time for the 8R certainty jackpot and 8R normal jackpot is set to 25 seconds. In the special chart 2 jackpot lottery table, the ending time for the 16R certainty jackpot is set to 30 seconds, and the ending time for the 8R certainty jackpot and 8R normal jackpot is set to 20 seconds. The ending time for the special chart 2 jackpot is set to 5 seconds shorter than the ending time in the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table. This allows the player to see more information at the end of a jackpot round based on winning the start winning device 33a for special chart 1, but by shortening the ending presentation time when two or more consecutive jackpots occur, such as when winning the start winning device 33b for special chart 2, the player can reduce the feeling of repetition caused by the same presentation being shown multiple times, when the same presentation would have been obvious if it had been shown once.

The relationship between the type of win and the number of times the support state is applied is explained below. The support state is a state in which the result of the lottery for normal symbols is more likely to be a win, and the opening time of the electric role is longer or the number of times it is opened is increased so that the game ball is more likely to enter the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b after the end of the jackpot round play than in the normal play state. The support state is a play state in which right-hand hitting is performed. In the special symbol 1 jackpot lottery table, the support state for the 16R special symbol jackpot, 8R special symbol jackpot, and 8R normal jackpot is set to 100 times. In the special symbol 2 jackpot lottery table, the support state for the 16R special symbol jackpot and 8R special symbol jackpot is set to 100 times, but the support state for the 8R normal jackpot is set to 0 times.

The stop pattern selection counter C3 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of "0" to "238", for example, and to return to "0" after reaching the maximum value (i.e., 238). In this embodiment, the stop pattern selection counter C3 is configured to select a "reach before or after" in which the final stop decorative pattern stops one space before or after the reach decorative pattern after the reach occurs in the third pattern display device 42, a "reach other than a back and forth miss" in which the final stop decorative pattern stops other than before or after the reach decorative pattern after the reach occurs, and a "complete miss" in which no reach occurs. For example, C3=0 to 201 corresponds to a complete miss, C3=202 to 208 corresponds to a back and forth miss reach, and C3=209 to 238 corresponds to a reach other than a back and forth miss. The contents of the lottery (drawing of the reach) of the stop pattern selection counter C3 may be set individually depending on whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a low probability or high probability state, whether the fluctuation time shortening function of the first pattern display device 40 is inactive or active, how many balls are in operation when the first pattern starts to fluctuate, etc. The stop pattern selection counter C3 is updated periodically (once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 25) described later), and is stored in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 when the game ball wins the special pattern 1 start winning device 33a or the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b.

Of the three fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3, the fluctuation type counter CS1 is configured to increment by one within the range of, for example, "0 to 198" and return to "0" after reaching the maximum value (i.e., "198"); the fluctuation type counter CS2 is configured to increment by one within the range of, for example, "0 to 240" and return to "0" after reaching the maximum value (i.e., "240"); and the fluctuation type counter CS3 is configured to increment by one within the range of, for example, "0 to 162" and return to "0" after reaching the maximum value (i.e., "162"). In the following description, the fluctuation type counter CS1 will also be referred to as the "first fluctuation type counter," the fluctuation type counter CS2 as the "second fluctuation type counter," and the fluctuation type counter CS3 as the "third fluctuation type counter," as appropriate.

The first variation type counter CS1 determines a group of rough decorative pattern variation patterns, such as the reach type of the decorative pattern (third pattern) such as the so-called normal reach, super reach, premium reach, etc., and the type of complete miss. Next, from the group of variation patterns determined by the first variation type counter CS1 in this way, another variation pattern is determined by the second variation type counter CS2.

The variation pattern of the decorative pattern for special chart 1 is determined using the table for selecting the variation pattern of the main decorative pattern shown in FIG. 12. The variation pattern of the decorative pattern for special chart 2 is also determined in the same way.

That is, when the jackpot symbol counter C2 is any one of "0" to "9", if the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "30", "31" to "140", or "141" to "198", a super reach group (jackpot super reach group) is determined. Specifically, when the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "30", if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "120", a jackpot super reach A (fluctuation time: 30 seconds) is determined, and if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "121" to "240", a jackpot super reach B (fluctuation time: 30 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "31" to "140", if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "120", a jackpot super reach C (fluctuation time: 60 seconds) is determined, and if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "121" to "240", a jackpot super reach D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "141" to "198", if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "120", a jackpot super reach E (fluctuation time: 120 seconds) is determined, and if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "121" to "240", a jackpot super reach F (fluctuation time: 120 seconds) is determined. It has been decided that the special effects of the jackpot super reaches A and C will be to announce jackpot suggestion information suggesting the possibility of winning a jackpot by pressing the decision button 81 within a specified valid period, and that the jackpot super reach E will announce jackpot suggestion information and execute a revival effect that is performed when a provisional stop that is out of reach is changed to a jackpot combination.

When the jackpot symbol counter C2 is either "10" to "39" or "40" to "89", if the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "65", the normal reach group (jackpot normal reach group) is determined, and if it is "66" to "132" or "133" to "198", the super reach group (jackpot super reach group) is determined. Specifically, when the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "65", if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "120", the jackpot normal reach A (fluctuation time: 20 seconds) is determined, and if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "121" to "240", the jackpot normal reach B (fluctuation time: 20 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "66" to "132", if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "120", a jackpot super reach A (fluctuation time: 30 seconds) is determined, and if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "121" to "240", a jackpot super reach B is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "133" to "198", if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "121", a jackpot super reach C (fluctuation time: 60 seconds) is determined, and if the second fluctuation type counter CS2 is "121" to "240", a jackpot super reach D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds) is determined. The occurrence frequency is almost the same for the jackpot normal reach A, the jackpot super reach A, B, and the jackpot normal reach C, D. For normal jackpot reach A, and super jackpot reach A and C, it is decided that jackpot suggestion information will be announced using the decision button 81.

Next, if the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any value between "0" and "201", a complete miss is determined, if the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any value between "202" and "208", either a normal lead with a front-to-back miss or a super reach with a front-to-back miss is determined, and if the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any value between "209" and "238", either a normal reach with a non-front-to-back miss or a super reach with a non-front-to-back miss is determined. In this way, if the jackpot lottery is a miss, it is set up so that a complete miss is more likely to occur.

Next, when the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any one of "0" to "201", the detailed type of fluctuation pattern is determined as follows. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "100", a complete miss A (fluctuation time: 10 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "101" to "150", a complete miss B (fluctuation time: 15 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "151" to "198", a complete miss C (fluctuation time: 20 seconds) is determined. Note that even in the case of complete misses A, B, and C, jackpot suggestion information may be notified using the decision button 81. Therefore, it is not possible to determine whether a jackpot has been hit or not just based on whether or not jackpot suggestion information has been notified.

Next, when the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any of "202" to "208", the detailed type of fluctuation pattern is determined as follows. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "100", a front and rear miss normal reach A (fluctuation time: 20 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "101" to "150", a front and rear miss super reach A (fluctuation time: 30 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "151" to "170", a front and rear miss super reach C (fluctuation time: 60 seconds) is determined. When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "171" to "198", if the fluctuation type counter CS2 is "0" to "199", a front and rear miss super reach E, F (fluctuation time: 100 seconds) is determined. Similarly to the above, normal reach A with a miss before or after, and super reach A and C with a miss before or after may or may not display jackpot suggestion information. The fluctuation time (100 seconds) of super reach E and F with a miss before or after corresponds to a pattern in which jackpot super reach E and F appear to have a revival effect but end with a miss. Therefore, even in jackpot super reach E and F, it is difficult for the player to determine the result of the fluctuation display until the revival effect is performed, except when it is suggested by the jackpot suggestion information.

Next, when the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any of "209" to "238", if the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "0" to "100", a normal reach A (fluctuation time: 20 seconds) that is a miss other than before and after is determined, and when the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "101" to "150", a super reach A (fluctuation time: 30 seconds) that is a miss other than before and after is determined, just like when the stop pattern selection counter C3 is any of "202" to "208". When the first fluctuation type counter CS1 is "151" to "198", a super reach C (fluctuation time: 60 seconds) that is a miss other than before and after is determined. As described above, a normal reach A that is a miss other than before and after, and a super reach A and C that are a miss other than before and after may also notify jackpot suggestion information using the decision button 81.

The variation type counters CS1 to CS3 are updated once each time the normal processing described below is executed, and are also repeatedly updated during the remaining time in the normal processing. The buffer values of the variation type counters CS1 to CS3 are then obtained during the start winning processing.

The size and range of each counter described above are merely examples and can be changed as desired. However, it is desirable to set the sizes of the jackpot random number counter C1, the stop pattern selection counter C3, and the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3 to different prime numbers, and to set the numbers to be unsynchronized under any circumstances.

Next, an example of the variable display performance of the main decorative pattern SZ will be described. Fig. 13(a) is an example of the variable display performance of the normal big win reach A and the normal miss reach A, and Fig. 13(b) is an example of the variable display performance of the super big win reach A and the super miss reach A.

First, the jackpot normal reach A and the miss normal reach A will be explained. The third symbol display device 42 displays the main decorative symbol SZ in front of the normal background (i.e., the normal screen 43a is displayed). Based on the occurrence of the start winning, the display of the variation of the main decorative symbol SZ starts. This variation display is a high-speed variation (i.e., the high-speed variation screen 43c is displayed). During the high-speed variation, the jackpot suggestion information may be notified. Whether or not to notify may be determined by lottery based on the value of the variation type counter CS2. The notification of the jackpot suggestion information is first performed by displaying an image prompting the press of the decision button 81 during the high-speed variation, and by pressing the decision button 81 while this image is displayed, an image suggesting the possibility of a jackpot result is displayed. For example, when an image saying "Chance!" is displayed, it suggests that there is a high possibility of a jackpot result. As a result, when an image prompting the press of the decision button 81 is displayed during the high-speed variation, the player presses the decision button 81 to know whether there is a high possibility of a jackpot result. After the notification image is erased, the main decorative symbols SZ in the right and left columns are displayed as stopped combinations (i.e., the normal reach display screen 43f is displayed), and either a jackpot or a missed reach combination is displayed as a confirmed combination (i.e., the all symbols stopped screen 43e is displayed).

Instead of an image suggesting the possibility of a jackpot result, a movable part may be activated by pressing the decision button 81.

Next, the jackpot super reach A and miss super reach A will be explained. Based on the occurrence of a start winning, the high-speed fluctuation of the main decorative pattern SZ starts. During the high-speed fluctuation, an image is displayed encouraging the user to press the decision button 81, and by pressing the decision button 81, an image is displayed suggesting the possibility of a jackpot result. After the main decorative pattern SZ is stopped and displayed as a reach combination, the pattern indicating the reach combination changes to the development pattern HZ, and the reach development performance is executed (i.e., the development reach display screen 43g is displayed). For example, in the reach development performance, if the player PY clears the mission, a jackpot result is obtained, and if the player PY fails the mission, a reach miss result is obtained. After this performance, either a jackpot or a reach miss combination is stopped and displayed by the development pattern HZ, and then the main decorative pattern SZ is displayed as a confirmation.

Another example of the variable display effect will be explained. Figure 14 (a) is an example of the variable display effect of the jackpot normal reach C and the miss normal reach C, and (b) is an example of the variable display effect of the jackpot super reach E and the miss super reach E.

First, the big win super reach C and the miss super reach C will be described. In the super reach C, the reach development performance is executed for a longer time than in the super reach A. For example, in the super reach C, a confrontation performance between the player PY and the enemy character TK in the reach development performance is displayed. In addition, in the super reach C, as a part of the button suggestion performance, a selection image is displayed in which a predetermined selection and decision are made using the decision button 81 and the selection button 82. Specifically, at the start of the confrontation performance, a character selection performance is executed using the decision button 81 and the selection button 82. For example, a plurality of selectable players PY are displayed, and the preferred player PY is selected using the selection button 82 and decided by the decision button 81. The enemy character TK displayed after the selection of the player PY is determined to be an appropriate character according to the possibility (expectation) of a big win result. As a result, whether the player PY is likely to win (whether a big win result is likely) is suggested depending on the relationship between the player PY and the enemy character TK. When the player PY and the enemy character TK are decided, they attack each other. If the result is a jackpot, an image that makes the player PY confident of victory (an image in which the surroundings of the player PY shine) is displayed. If the result is a miss, an image that makes the player PY expect to lose (an image in which the surroundings of the enemy character TK shine black) is displayed. After this kind of performance, either a jackpot or miss combination is displayed statically using the development pattern HZ, and then the main decorative pattern SZ confirms the combination.

Instead of an image that gives the player PY confidence that he will win, a movable prop may be activated.

Next, the jackpot super reach E and the miss super reach E will be explained. In the super reach E, the reach development performance is executed for a longer time than in the super reach A. For example, in the super reach E, the showdown performance is also displayed in the reach development performance. In the showdown performance, a character selection performance is executed. In the case of a reach miss result, an image predicting the defeat of the player PY is displayed. In the case of a jackpot result, an image predicting the defeat of the player PY is displayed, followed by an image encouraging the player PY to press the decision button 81. When the decision button 81 is pressed, the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 flashes intensely with strong light (strong light flashing screen 43g-1). After the display screen 42a flashes, an image confirming the victory of the player PY is displayed, and the jackpot combination is displayed with the development pattern HZ and then confirmed with the main decoration pattern SZ.

Instead of the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 flashing vigorously with strong light, the movable part may be driven by pressing the decision button 81.

Next, we will explain the ending effects. Figure 15 shows a table for determining the ending effect pattern.

After the big win round play ends, the third symbol display device 42 displays an ending performance that displays images to give the player a rest, congratulate the player for reaching the final round, suggest or inform the player of information useful for the game, and inform the player of various cautions. In this embodiment, the ending performance displays images combined in a predetermined pattern. The ending information 44j that constitutes the ending performance pattern includes, for example, next game state suggestion information 44w (indicated as "one more time" or "chance" in the figure) that suggests a transition to a probability change state or time-saving state after the big win round play ends, manufacturer information 44x (indicated as "logo" in the figure) that indicates the manufacturer, card removal forget prevention information 44y (indicated as "prepaid card" in the figure) that warns the player not to forget to remove the prepaid card, and addiction prevention information 44z (indicated as "enjoy moderately" in the figure) that warns the player that pachinko and pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation. The next game state suggestion information 44w, the card removal prevention information 44y, and the addiction prevention information 44z are displayed for, for example, 10 seconds each, and the manufacturer information 44x is displayed for 5 seconds.

The ending performance of the 16R guaranteed jackpot on special chart 1 is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal reminder information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z are displayed in that order over a 35-second period. In the case of the 16R guaranteed jackpot on special chart 2, the ending performance is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, card removal reminder information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z are displayed in that order over a 30-second period.

The ending performance of the 8R special jackpot on special chart 1 is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal prevention information 44y are displayed in that order over a 25-second period. The ending performance of the 8R special jackpot on special chart 2 is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal prevention information 44y are displayed in that order over a 20-second period. The ending performance of the 8R normal jackpot on special charts 1 and 2 is similar to the 8R special jackpot ending performance on special charts 1 and 2 described above, except that the next game state suggestion information 44w is "chance" (indicating that the next game state will be a time-saving state).

As shown in FIG. 10, a second symbol random number counter C4 is used to draw the second symbol of the second symbol display device 41. The second symbol random number counter C4 is configured as a loop counter that is incremented by one within the range of "0" to "250", for example, and returns to "0" after reaching a maximum value (i.e., 250). The second symbol random number counter C4 is updated periodically (once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 22) described below) and is obtained when the game ball passes through either the left or right normal symbol start winning device 34. There are 149 random number values that can be used to win, and the range is "5 to 153".

In particular, when the second symbol random number counter C4 goes around once, the value of the initial value second symbol random number counter CINI2 at that time is read as the initial value of the second symbol random number counter C4. The initial value second symbol random number counter CINI2 is a loop counter (value = 0 to 250) similar to the second symbol random number counter C4, and is updated once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 22) described later, and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of the normal processing (see FIG. 19) described later. The second symbol random number counter C4 is updated periodically (in this embodiment, once for each timer interrupt (see FIG. 22) described later), and is stored in the second symbol reserved storage area of RAM 503 at the timing when the game ball passes through the normal symbol start winning device 34.

In other words, the RAM 503 also has a second symbol reserved storage area that is separate from the reserved ball storage area, and the second symbol reserved storage area is provided with one execution area for the second symbol and four reserved areas for the second symbol (second symbol reserved areas 1 to 4). Each of these areas stores the values of the second symbol random number counter C4 in chronological order according to the winning history of game balls in the normal symbol start winning device 34.

The second symbol missing pattern counter C5 is updated once each time the second symbol control process of the normal process in FIG. 19 described later is executed once, and its value is updated and acquired in the second symbol missing pattern buffer of the counter buffer, and when the second symbol random number counter C4 is stored in the second symbol reserved ball storage area, the second symbol missing pattern counter C5 updated and acquired in the second symbol missing pattern buffer is also stored in the second symbol reserved ball storage area. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, when the value of the second symbol random number counter C4 is a failure, the display unit 41b with "x" drawn on it is lit and displayed based on the value of the second symbol missing pattern counter C5 in the second symbol reserved ball storage area. Note that the second symbol missing pattern counter C5 may not be provided, and the second symbol variation display result may be performed based only on the second symbol random number counter C4. In other words, if the second symbol random number counter C4 wins, the display section 41a with a "○" is lit, and if it loses, the display section 41b with an "X" is lit.

Next, the control processes executed by the CPU 501 in the main control device 261 will be explained with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 16 to 26. The processes of the CPU 501 can be broadly divided into main processing which is started when the power is turned on, timer interrupt processing which is started periodically (every 2 msec in this embodiment), and NMI interrupt processing which is started by input of a power failure signal to the NMI terminal (non-maskable terminal). For ease of explanation, we will first explain the timer interrupt processing, the start winning processing executed in the timer interrupt processing, the look-ahead lottery processing executed in the start winning processing, and the NMI interrupt processing, and then explain the main processing.

Figure 22 is a flowchart showing timer interrupt processing, which is executed by the CPU 501 of the main control unit 261, for example, every 2 msec.

In FIG. 22, first, in step S601, the process of reading the various winning switches is executed. That is, the state of the various switches (except for the RAM erase switch 323) connected to the main control device 261 is read, and the state of the switch is determined and the detection information (winning detection information) is saved.

Then, in step S602, the initial value random number counter CINI1 and the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 are updated. Specifically, the initial value random number counter CINI1 is incremented by 1 and cleared to "0" when the counter value reaches the maximum value ("599" in this embodiment), and the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 is incremented by 1 and cleared to "0" when the counter value is incremented by 1 after reaching the maximum value ("250" in this embodiment). The updated value of the initial value random number counter CINI1 is then stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 503 (see FIG. 10).

Then, in the next step S603, the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot symbol counter C2, and the stop pattern selection counter C3 are updated. Specifically, the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot symbol counter C2, and the stop pattern selection counter C3 are each incremented by 1, and are each cleared to "0" when they increment by 1 after their counter values reach their maximum values (in this embodiment, "599", "9", and "250", respectively). The updated values of each counter C1 to C3 are then stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 503 (see FIG. 10).

Then, in step S604, the start winning process is executed in response to the winning of the start winning device 33a for special chart 1 and the start winning device 33b for special chart 2. This start winning process will be explained using the flowchart in FIG. 23, which will be described later.

Then, in step S605, launch control processing is executed. This launch control processing is explained below with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 25.

Specifically, in step S721, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not the launch permission signal S7 from the launch control device 312 is ON, as shown in FIG. 8. If the launch permission signal S7 is ON, proceed to step S722, and if it is OFF, terminate this process. In step S722, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 outputs the launch control signal S8 and ball feed control signal S9 to the launch control device 312, controls the launch of the game ball by the launch device 229, and proceeds to step S723. In step S723, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a launch operation command indicating that a game ball launch operation has been performed. After performing the launch control process in this manner, the CPU 501 temporarily terminates this timer interrupt process.

The start-up winning process performed by the main control unit 261 will be explained with reference to Figure 23.

In step S701, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the game ball has won the special game 1 start winning device 33a or the special game 2 start winning device 33b based on the detection information of the operation port switch. If the game ball has won, the process proceeds to step S702, and if not, the process ends.

In step S702, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the number of pending balls N in operation of the first pattern display device 40 is less than the upper limit (4 in this embodiment). If the number of pending balls N is less than the upper limit, the process proceeds to step S703; if not, the process ends. In step S703, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 increments the number of pending balls N in operation by 1. In step S704, the main control device 261 converts the number of pending balls N incremented in step S703 into a pending ball storage area designation command, and sets it so that it can be output to the sub-control device 262 together with a pre-reading variable pattern designation command described later.

In step S705, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 obtains random numbers related to the winning or losing of the first symbol and the determination of the variation pattern of the third symbol. Specifically, the values of the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot symbol counter C2, and the stop pattern selection counter C3 updated in step S603, and the variation type counters CS1 to CS3 are stored in the first free area of the first to fourth reserved areas in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 shown in FIG. 10.

In step S706, the main control unit 261 executes a pre-reading lottery process that is carried out prior to the fluctuation start process shown in FIG. 19 described above.

The advance reading lottery process will be explained with reference to Figure 24.

In step S711, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 performs a look-ahead lottery to determine whether or not a jackpot is reached at the time of storage based on the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area. Specifically, whether or not the result of the look-ahead lottery is a jackpot is determined based on the relationship between the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 and the mode at that time (whether it is in a special state or a normal state). The hit value of the jackpot random number counter C1 is as described above.

In step S712, if the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines that the result of the advance lottery is a jackpot, it determines which jackpot pattern will be selected, which corresponds to the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area.

In step S713, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines in advance the fluctuation pattern (jackpot presentation pattern) to be used when a jackpot occurs. Specifically, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 checks the value of the jackpot symbol counter C2 and the values of the fluctuation type counters CS1 and CS2 stored in the counter buffer of the RAM 503 in that order, in the same manner as in the fluctuation start process described above, and determines in advance the fluctuation pattern.

If it is determined in step S711 that the result of the advance reading lottery is not a jackpot, in step S714, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets the result of the advance reading lottery to a stop pattern that will stop and display a losing pattern.

In step S715, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 predetermines the fluctuation pattern (miss performance pattern) to be used when a miss occurs, and sets the miss fluctuation pattern in the fluctuation pattern designation command. Specifically, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 checks the values of the stop pattern selection counter C3 and the fluctuation type counters CS1 and CS2 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 in that order, and predetermines the fluctuation pattern.

In step S716, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines in advance the addition of the presentation time, that is, the addition of the presentation time of the big win variation pattern determined in step S713 or the miss variation pattern determined in step S715. More specifically, based on the value of the variation type counter CS3, a variation pattern is determined in advance, including an increase in presentation time due to the decorative pattern (third pattern) of the middle decorative pattern row on the third pattern display device 42 sliding to a stop (an increase in the time until the decorative pattern of the middle decorative pattern row slides and is displayed stopped).

In step S717, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a fluctuation pattern designation command corresponding to the jackpot fluctuation pattern previously determined in step S713, or a fluctuation pattern designation command corresponding to the miss fluctuation pattern previously determined in step S505.

In step S718, if steps S712 and S713 have been passed, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a decorative pattern designation command corresponding to the big win pattern of the first pattern display device 40 determined in step S712 (the "first specific win pattern," "second specific win pattern," or "non-specific win pattern"); if steps S714 and S715 have been passed, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a decorative pattern designation command corresponding to the losing pattern of the first pattern display device 40 determined in advance in step S714.

In step S719, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a performance time addition designation command corresponding to the performance time addition previously determined in step S716, and ends this process.

Figure 26 is a flowchart showing the NMI interrupt process. This process is executed by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like. This NMI interrupt causes the state of the main control device 261 at the time of the power outage to be stored in the backup area of the RAM 503.

In other words, when the power supply to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal S1 is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 542 to the NMI terminal of the CPU 501 in the main control unit 261. The CPU 501 then suspends the control being executed and starts the NMI interrupt process of FIG. 26. The NMI interrupt process of FIG. 26 is stored in the ROM 502 of the main control unit 261. For a predetermined time after the power outage signal S1 is output, power is supplied from the power supply unit 541 so that the main control unit 261 can execute its processing, and the NMI interrupt process is executed within this predetermined time.

In the NMI interrupt process in FIG. 26, in step S801, information about the occurrence of a power outage is set in the backup area. In this embodiment, a flag is set for the information about the occurrence of a power outage and the information is stored in the backup area.

Next, the main processing performed by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 will be described.
FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing an example of a main process executed by the CPU 501 in the main control device 261. This main process is started in response to a reset when the power is turned on.

First, in step S101, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes an initial setting process associated with power-on. Specifically, a predetermined value is set in the stack pointer. In step S102, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes a wait process, for example, for about one second, to wait for the sub-control devices (sub-control device 262, payout control device 311, etc.) to become operable. In the following step S103, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 permits RAM access.

Then, data backup processing is performed on the RAM 503 in the CPU 501. That is, in step S104, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the RAM erase switch 323 provided on the power supply monitoring board 261b is pressed (ON) or not, and if it is OFF, proceeds to step S105, and if it is ON, proceeds to step S113. In the following step S105, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether power failure occurrence information is set in the backup area of the RAM 503 (whether the power failure occurrence information flag is set or not). Also, in step S106, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 calculates a RAM judgment value, and in the following step S107, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the RAM judgment value matches the RAM judgment value saved at the time of power failure, that is, the validity of the backup. The RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value in the working area address of the RAM 503. It is also possible to determine the validity of the backup based on whether the keywords written in a specified area of RAM 503 are correctly saved.

As described above, in this pachinko machine 10, if you want to return to the initial state when you turn on the power, for example when the hall opens for business, you turn on the power while pressing the RAM clear switch 323. Therefore, if the RAM clear switch 323 is ON, the process moves to the initialization process of RAM 503 (step S113, etc.). Similarly, if the power outage information is not set or if a backup abnormality is confirmed by the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.), the used RAM area is cleared and the process moves to the initialization process of RAM 503 (step S113, etc.). That is, in step S113, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 clears the used area of RAM 503 to "0" and executes the initialization process of RAM 503.

In the next step S114, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 transmits a payout initialization command. In this manner, the payout initialization command is output to the payout control device 311 when the main control device 261 is initialized.

In addition, in step S115, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 transmits a power-on command to the sub-control board 262a. This power-on command includes a command for identifying the type of pachinko machine, so that the sub-side, such as the sub-control board 262a or the display control device 45, can identify the type of machine based on the content of the command.

In addition, in step S116, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes initial setting of the CTC (Counter/Timer Circuit). In step S117, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets interrupt permission and transitions to normal processing (see FIG. 17) described later.

On the other hand, if the RAM erase switch 323 has not been pressed, processing at the time of power recovery (processing at the time of power outage recovery) is executed, provided that the power outage occurrence information has been set and the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) is normal. That is, in step S108, the power outage occurrence information is cleared. In step S109, the CPU 501 of the main control unit 261 sends a payout return command to the payout control device 311 and instructs the payout control device 311 to start payout control. Details will be described later, but when the payout control device 311 receives the payout return command from the main control device 261, it returns and starts payout control.

In step S110, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sends a command to return the sub-control device to the game state at the time of power failure, and in step S111, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes the initial setting of the CTC (Counter/Timer Circuit). Furthermore, in step S112, interrupt permission is set, and then the process proceeds to normal processing (see FIG. 17) described later. For example, even if a power failure occurs during normal processing, the process will be executed up to the last step of the normal processing (the "RAM access prohibited" step shown in FIG. 17) before entering the power failure state, so that after power is restored, the process will be executed from the first step of normal processing, step S201.

Next, the flow of normal processing will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 17. In this normal processing, the main processing of the game is executed. In summary, the processing of steps S201 to S207 is executed as a regular process with a cycle of 4 msec, and the counter update processing of steps S210 and S211 is executed in the remaining time.

In FIG. 17, first, in step S201, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 performs an external output process of transmitting output data such as commands updated in the previous process to each control device on the sub side. Specifically, it determines whether there is winning detection information, and if there is winning detection information, it transmits a prize ball payout command corresponding to the number of acquired game balls to the payout control device 311. In addition, in conjunction with the first pattern change display (change display of the first segment display section 40a) of the first pattern display device 40, the third pattern display device 42 also displays the change of the decorative pattern (third pattern), and when the first pattern display device 40 displays the change of the first pattern, a change pattern designation command, a decorative pattern designation command, a full stop command (confirmation command), etc. are transmitted to the sub control device 262 in the external output process.

In this pachinko machine 10, when the first symbol starts to change, a predetermined number (e.g., three) of commands are sent for each external output process of normal processing (i.e., three every 4 msec) in the order of change pattern designation command → performance command (a command for designating changes in change time, etc.) → decorative symbol designation command, and a full stop command is sent when the change time has elapsed. Also, after the first symbol starts to change, a predetermined number (e.g., three) of commands are sent for each external output process of normal processing (i.e., three every 4 msec) in the order of change pattern designation command → performance command → decorative symbol designation command, and a full stop command is sent when the change time has elapsed.

The variation pattern designation command is a command for designating the variation pattern of the decorative pattern (third pattern) that is variably displayed on the third pattern display device 42. The variation pattern designation command is transmitted from the main control device 261 to the sub-control device 262, and then transmitted from the sub-control device 262 to the display control device 45. Based on the transmitted variation pattern designation command, the display control device 45 controls the third pattern display device 42 to display and execute the variation pattern of the decorative pattern.

The decorative pattern designation command is a command for designating whether the varying display performance of the decorative pattern (third pattern) on the third pattern display device 42 will be a first jackpot, a second jackpot, a third jackpot, or a miss. The decorative pattern designation command is transmitted from the main control device 261 to the sub-control device 262, and then transmitted from the sub-control device 262 to the display control device 45. The display control device 45 controls the display of the third pattern display device 42 so that the display result of the varying pattern of the decorative pattern is a result (first jackpot, second jackpot, third jackpot) according to the decorative pattern designation command transmitted.

The all stop command is a command to instruct the stopping of the changing pattern of the decorative pattern (third pattern) displayed in a changing manner on the third pattern display device 42. The all stop command is transmitted from the main control device 261 to the sub-control device 262, and then transmitted from the sub-control device 262 to the display control device 45. Based on the all stop command transmitted, the display control device 45 controls the third pattern display device 42 to stop displaying the changing pattern of the decorative pattern.

The CPU 501 of the main control device 261 may also transmit a variation pattern designation command and a performance command (a command for designating a change in the variation time, etc.) to the sub-control device 262 during the external output process of the normal process (step S201). In other words, the time to be added to the variation time (the time added due to the sliding performance of the decorative pattern described above) is determined based on the value of the variation type counter CS3, and the performance command is used to appropriately instruct the sub-control device 262 on such an added time. Therefore, after the first pattern starts to vary, a predetermined number of commands (e.g., three) are sent out each time the external output process of the normal process is performed (i.e., three every 4 msec) in the order of variation pattern designation command → performance command → decorative pattern designation command, and a full stop command may be sent out when the variation time has elapsed.

Next, in step S202, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 updates the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3. Specifically, the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3 are each incremented by 1, and are each cleared to "0" when the counter value is incremented by 1 after reaching the maximum value (198, 240, 162 in this embodiment). The updated values of the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3 are then stored in the corresponding buffer areas of the RAM 503 shown in FIG. 10.

Next, in step S203 in FIG. 17, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 reads the prize ball count signal, payout abnormality signal, and lower tray full signal received from the payout control device 311. Then, in step S204, a first pattern change process is executed to cause the first pattern display device 40 to display the first pattern change. This first pattern change process determines whether a jackpot has occurred and sets the change pattern of the first pattern. However, details of the first pattern change process will be described later.

In step S205, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes a next game state setting process to set the jackpot lottery probability in the next game state after the jackpot game state ends. The next game state setting process will be described in detail later.

Then, in step S206, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes a large prize opening opening/closing process to open or close the large prize opening 32a of the variable prize winning device 32 in the large prize round game state. That is, the large prize opening 32a is opened for each round in the large prize state, and for each round, it is determined whether the maximum opening time of the large prize opening 32a has elapsed or whether a specified number of game balls have entered the large prize opening 32a. Then, when either of these conditions is met, the opening of the large prize opening 32a for that round is stopped and closed, and if there are remaining rounds, the opening of the large prize opening 32a is repeated for the remaining number of rounds.

In step S207, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes the display control of the second symbol by the second symbol display device 41. In brief, on the condition that the game ball has passed through the normal symbol start winning device 34, the second symbol random number counter C4 is acquired each time and the second symbol is displayed on the display units 41a and 41b of the second symbol display device 41. Then, the second symbol is selected by lottery based on the value of the second symbol random number counter C4. When the second symbol is in a winning state, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 performs an opening process of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b, which opens the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b for a predetermined time, as shown in step S208. Although not described, the second symbol random number counter C4 is also updated by the timer interrupt process shown in FIG. 22, like the jackpot random number counter C1, the jackpot symbol counter C2, and the stop pattern selection counter C3.

In addition, in step S209, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not power failure information has been set in the backup area of the RAM 503 (whether or not the power failure information flag is set). If power failure information has not been set, the process proceeds to step S210, and if power failure information has been set, the process proceeds to step S213.

Then, in step S210, it is determined whether the timing for executing the next normal process has arrived, that is, whether a predetermined time (4 msec in this embodiment) has elapsed since the start of the previous normal process. Then, within the remaining time until the timing for executing the next normal process, the initial value random number counter CINI1, the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2, and the variable type counters CS1 to CS3 are repeatedly updated (steps S211, S212). That is, in step S211, the initial value random number counter CINI1 and the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 are updated. Specifically, the initial value random number counter CINI1 is incremented by 1, and the counter value is cleared to "0" when it is incremented by 1 after reaching the maximum value ("599" in this embodiment). Then, the updated value of the initial value random number counter CINI1 is stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 503. Similarly, the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 is incremented by 1, and is cleared to "0" when the counter value is incremented by 1 after reaching the maximum value ("250" in this embodiment). The updated value of the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 is then stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 503.

In addition, in step S212, the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3 are updated (similar to step S202). Specifically, the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3 are incremented by 1, and are cleared to "0" when the counter values are incremented by 1 after reaching their maximum values (in this embodiment, "198", "240", and "162"). The updated values of the fluctuation type counters CS1 to CS3 are then stored in the corresponding buffer areas of RAM 503.

Here, the execution time of each process in steps S201 to S208 changes depending on the game state, so the remaining time until the execution timing of the next normal process is not constant but fluctuates. Therefore, by repeatedly updating the initial value random number counter CINI1 and the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 using this remaining time, it becomes possible to randomly update the initial value random number counter CINI1 (i.e., the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1) and the initial value second pattern random number counter CINI2 (i.e., the initial value of the second pattern random number counter C4).

Also, in step S209, if the power failure occurrence information is set and the process proceeds to step S213, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets interrupt prohibition. Next, in step S214, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 transmits a power failure notification command indicating that the power has been immediately cut to the other control devices. Next, in step S215, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 stops outputting control signals. Next, in step S216, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 calculates a RAM judgment value and saves it in the backup area. The RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value at the working area address of the RAM 503. Next, in step S217, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 prohibits RAM access. After that, an infinite loop is entered in preparation for the power being completely cut off and processing being unable to be executed.

Next, the first pattern change process in step S204 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

In FIG. 18, in step S401, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not a jackpot is currently being won. The jackpot includes the period during the special game displayed on the third symbol display device 42 at the time of the jackpot and the period during a predetermined time after the special game ends. In the following step S402, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not the first symbol is being displayed in a variable manner by the first symbol display device 40. If the jackpot is not being won and the first symbol is not being displayed in a variable manner, the process proceeds to step S403, where the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not the number of pending balls N of the first symbol display device 40 is greater than "0". At this time, if the jackpot is being won or the number of pending balls N is "0", the process ends as is.

Also, if it is not during a jackpot, nor during the variable display of the first symbol, and the number of active reserved balls N>0, proceed to step S404. In step S404, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 subtracts "1" from the number of active reserved balls N. In step S405, a process is executed to shift the data stored in the reserved ball storage area. This data shift process is a process of shifting the data stored in the reserved areas 1 to 4 of the reserved ball storage area to the execution area in sequence, and the data in each area is shifted in the following order: reserved area 1 → execution area, reserved area 2 → reserved area 1, reserved area 3 → reserved 2 urea, reserved area 4 → reserved area 3.

After that, in step S406, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 executes the fluctuation start process. Here, the fluctuation start process will be explained in detail using the flowchart in FIG. 19. In step S501, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not there is a jackpot based on the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area. Specifically, whether or not there is a jackpot is determined based on the relationship between the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 and the mode at that time (whether it is in a special state or a normal state), and as mentioned above, in the normal low probability state, the winning value (2 balls) is "150,450" out of the values "0" to "599" of the jackpot random number counter C1, and in the high probability state, the winning value (4 balls) is "50,150,350,450".

When the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines that there is a jackpot, in step S502, it determines the jackpot pattern corresponding to the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area, i.e., which of the first to third symbols to be displayed on the first segment display unit 40a of the first pattern display device 40 should be selected. In other words, it determines the jackpot pattern ("first jackpot pattern", "second jackpot pattern", or "third jackpot pattern") corresponding to the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 based on the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table or special chart 2 jackpot lottery table (see FIG. 11) which shows the correspondence between the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 and the patterns.

Next, in step S503, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines the fluctuation pattern (jackpot presentation pattern) at the time of the jackpot. Specifically, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 checks the value of the jackpot symbol counter C2 and the values of the fluctuation type counters CS1 and CS2 stored in the counter buffer of the RAM 503 in that order, without using the stop pattern selection counter C3, and determines the fluctuation pattern.

That is, based on the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2, it is determined whether the decorative pattern on the third pattern display device 42 is displayed in the "stop pattern 3" of a normal jackpot (non-specific jackpot), or whether the decorative pattern on the third pattern display device 42 is displayed in the "stop pattern 4" of a guaranteed jackpot (specific jackpot). The type of the "stop pattern 3" or "stop pattern 4" determined in this way is further determined based on the value of the first variation type counter CS1. In other words, a group of rough decorative pattern variation patterns, such as the reach type of the decorative pattern (third pattern) such as normal reach, super reach, premium reach, etc., is determined. Next, from the group of rough decorative pattern variation patterns determined in this way, one variation pattern is determined based on the value of the second variation type counter CS2. For example, based on the value of the second variation type counter CS2, a more detailed decorative pattern variation mode is determined, such as setting the elapsed time until the final stop decorative pattern (in this embodiment, the middle decorative pattern) stops after the reach occurs to a predetermined time. In addition, the following relationships in the case of a jackpot, that is, the relationship between the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 and the stop pattern, the relationship between the value of the first variation type counter CS1 and the variation pattern, and the relationship between the value of the second variation type counter CS2 and the stop pattern time, are each specified in advance by a jackpot table or the like.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S501 that the reel is not a jackpot, in step S504, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets the stop pattern to a losing pattern, i.e., a stop pattern that causes the first segment display section 40a of the first pattern display device 40 to stop and display the fourth symbol.

Next, in step S505, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines the fluctuation pattern (miss performance pattern) at the time of a miss, and sets the miss fluctuation pattern in the fluctuation pattern designation command. Specifically, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 checks the values of the stop pattern selection counter C3 and the fluctuation type counters CS1 and CS2 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 in that order, and determines the fluctuation pattern.

That is, based on the value of the stop pattern selection counter C3, it is determined which of the stop patterns to use: "Stop pattern 1" which is a "reach before and after" in which the final stop decorative pattern stops just one before and after the reach decorative pattern after the reach occurs in the third pattern display device 42, "Stop pattern 2" which is a "reach other than a reach before and after" in which the final stop decorative pattern stops other than before and after the reach decorative pattern after the reach occurs, and "Stop pattern 0" which is a "complete miss" in which no reach occurs. For example, if the determined stop pattern is "Stop pattern 1" which is a reach before and after, a variation pattern in which the reach type of the decorative pattern (third pattern) such as a normal reach or a super reach is specified is determined based on the value of the first variation type counter CS1, and a rough variation pattern group of the decorative pattern is determined. It is assumed here that a normal reach is determined. Next, from the group of normal reach variation patterns of the rough decorative patterns thus determined, another variation pattern is determined based on the value of the second variation type counter CS2. For example, based on the value of the second variation type counter CS2, a more detailed decorative pattern variation mode is determined, such as setting the elapsed time from the occurrence of a reach until the final stop decorative pattern (in this embodiment, the middle decorative pattern) stops to a predetermined time. Note that the following relationships in the case of a miss, that is, the relationship between the value of the stop pattern selection counter C3 and the stop pattern, the relationship between the value of the first variation type counter CS1 and the variation pattern, and the relationship between the value of the second variation type counter CS2 and the stop pattern time, are each predefined by a table for misses, etc.

In this embodiment, one of the above-mentioned tables for losses is, for example, one that is adopted when the probability is low, the fluctuation time reduction function of the first pattern display device 40 is in effect, and the number of pending operations of the first pattern at the start of the fluctuation of the first pattern is "0", and when the value of the stop pattern selection counter C3 is "0 to 201", this corresponds to no reach (complete miss), "202 to 208" corresponds to a reach for a miss before or after, and "209 to 238" corresponds to a reach other than a miss before or after.

Next, in step S506, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines the addition of the presentation time, that is, determines the addition of the presentation time of the big win variation pattern determined in step S503 or the miss variation pattern determined in step S505. More specifically, based on the value of the variation type counter CS3, a variation pattern is determined that includes an increase in presentation time due to the decorative pattern (third pattern) of the middle decorative pattern row on the third pattern display device 42 sliding to a stop (an increase in the time until the decorative pattern of the middle decorative pattern row slides and is displayed stopped).

In addition, in step S507, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a fluctuation pattern designation command corresponding to the jackpot fluctuation pattern determined in step S503, or a fluctuation pattern designation command corresponding to the miss fluctuation pattern determined in step S505.

Next, in step S508, if steps S502 and S503 have been passed, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a decorative pattern designation command corresponding to the big win pattern of the first pattern display device 40 determined in step S502 (the "first specific win pattern," "second specific win pattern," or "non-specific win pattern"); if steps S504 and S505 have been passed, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a decorative pattern designation command corresponding to the losing pattern of the first pattern display device 40 determined in step S504.

Next, in step S509, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a performance time addition designation command corresponding to the performance time addition determined in step S506.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 18, if step S402 is YES, i.e., the first symbol is being displayed while changing, the process proceeds to step S407, where the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the change time of the first symbol has elapsed. This change time of the first symbol is determined based on the change pattern and the performance time addition determined as described above with reference to FIG. 19, that is, the change time of the first symbol is determined according to the change pattern of the first symbol, and when this change time has elapsed, step S407 is determined to be YES. If the change time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to step S408, and if the change time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S409.

Then, in step S408, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 updates the varying display of the first pattern on the first pattern display device 40. In other words, the varying display of the first segment display section 40a of the first pattern display device 40 is continued, and this process ends.

On the other hand, in step S409, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 stops the variable display of the first symbol and sets the stopped symbol of the first symbol to the display symbol. In other words, if the first jackpot symbol is determined in step S502 of FIG. 19, after the variable display of the first segment display unit 40a of the first symbol display device 40, this first segment display unit 40a is stopped and displayed with the first symbol. If the second jackpot symbol is determined in step S502 of FIG. 19, after the variable display of the first segment display unit 40a of the first symbol display device 40, this first segment display unit 40a is stopped and displayed with the second symbol. If the third jackpot symbol is determined in step S502 of FIG. 19, after the variable display of the first segment display unit 40a of the first symbol display device 40, this first segment display unit 40a is stopped and displayed with the third symbol. If a losing symbol is determined in step S504 of FIG. 19, after the first segment display unit 40a of the first symbol display device 40 changes, the first segment display unit 40a stops and displays the fourth symbol (indicating a loss).

Next, in step S410, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a full stop command to instruct the stopping of the changing pattern of the decorative pattern (third pattern) displayed in a changing manner on the third pattern display device 42, and ends this process.

Next, the next game state setting process in step S205 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

In step S561, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not a guaranteed jackpot has been reached based on the value of the jackpot symbol counter C2. If a guaranteed jackpot has been reached, the process proceeds to step S562; if not, the process proceeds to step S564.

In step S562, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 in the table for drawing the jackpot lottery for special chart 1 and special chart 2 shown in FIG. 11 to the value at the time of high probability, and proceeds to step S563. In step S563, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a high probability support state transition command, and ends this process. As a result, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 refers to the value at the time of high probability as the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 at the time of the next jackpot determination.

In step S564, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not a normal jackpot has been reached based on the value of the jackpot symbol counter C2. If a normal jackpot has been reached, the process proceeds to step S565; if not, the process ends.

In step S565, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 of the special chart 1 and special chart 2 jackpot lottery table to the low probability value, and proceeds to step S566. As a result, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 refers to the low probability value as the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 when determining the next jackpot.

In step S566, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the reference in step S564 was the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table. If the reference is the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table, the process proceeds to step S567; if not, the process proceeds to step S569. In step S567, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a low-probability support state transition command. The low-probability support state transition command is a command that indicates the occurrence of 100 time-saving states after the end of the jackpot round play of a normal jackpot.

In step S568, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether the reference in step S564 was the table for the special jackpot 2 lottery. If the reference is the table for the special jackpot 2 lottery, the process proceeds to step S569; if not, the process ends. In step S569, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 sets a low probability state transition command. The low probability state transition command is a command indicating that no time reduction will be applied after the end of the jackpot round of a normal jackpot.

Next, we will explain the process of opening and closing the big prize opening in step S206 mentioned above. Figure 21 is a flowchart showing the process of opening and closing the big prize opening.

In step S581, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not the round start flag was turned on in step S553 described above. If the round start flag is on, the process proceeds to step S583; if not, the process ends. In step S583, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not it is time to start the nth round (the first round if it is the first). If it is time to start the nth round, the process proceeds to step S585; if not, the process ends.

In step S585, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 opens the large prize opening 32a, and the process proceeds to step S587. Specifically, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 turns on the solenoid to open the door of the large prize opening 32a in the variable prize device 32. In step S587, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 judges whether or not it is the end timing of the nth round. The end timing of each round, i.e., the opening time of the large prize opening 32a, is predetermined based on the value of the large prize pattern counter C2. When the value of the large prize pattern counter C2 is 90 to 99, the opening time of the large prize opening 32a is set to a short time that makes it difficult for a game ball to enter. When the value of the large prize pattern counter C2 is other than the above, a sufficient time is set for the upper limit number of game balls to enter.

If it is the end timing of the nth round in step S587, proceed to step S589, otherwise terminate this process. In step S589, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 closes the large prize opening 32a and proceeds to step S591. Specifically, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 turns off the solenoid to close the door of the large prize opening 32a in the variable prize device 32. The time for which the large prize opening 32a is closed between each round, i.e., the interval time between rounds, is determined in advance.

In step S591, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 determines whether or not it is the final round. If it is the final round, the process proceeds to step S593; if not, the process returns to step S583. In step S593, the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 turns off the round start flag and ends this process.

Next, we will explain the payout control executed by the CPU 511 in the payout control device 311. Figure 27 is a flowchart showing the main processing of the payout control device 311, which is started when the power is turned on and reset.

First, in step S901, the initial setting process associated with power-on is executed. Specifically, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 sets the stack address and interrupt mode. In step S902, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 permits RAM access, and in step S903, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 sets the external interrupt vector.

Then, in step S904, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 determines whether or not power failure information is set in the backup area of the RAM 513. Also, in step S905, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 calculates a RAM judgment value, and in the following step S906, it determines whether or not the RAM judgment value matches the RAM judgment value saved at the time of the power failure, i.e., the validity of the backup. The RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value at the working area address of the RAM 513. It is also possible to determine the validity of the backup based on whether or not a keyword written in a specified area of the RAM 513 is saved correctly.

Next, in step S907, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 performs the initial settings of the RAM 513 when power is restored. Specifically, when the main control device 261 is initialized, a payout initialization command is sent from the main control device 261 to the payout control device 311, and when the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 receives the payout initialization command from the main control device 261, it performs the initial settings of the RAM 513 when power is restored in step S907. In other words, it initializes the RAM area and starts controlling the payout of game balls.

Therefore, if the RAM erase switch 323 is pressed (ON) when the power is turned on, the main control unit 261 is initialized and a payout initialization command is sent from the main control unit 261 to the payout control unit 311, and the CPU 511 of the payout control unit 311 performs initialization processing of the RAM 513 based on the payout initialization command from the main control unit 261.

Next, in step S908, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 performs initial settings of the peripheral devices of the CPU 511. Specifically, the CPU peripheral devices are timer control devices called CTCs (Counter/Timer Circuits), and the CTCs are set to a predetermined value to generate timer interrupts every 2 milliseconds (ms).

Next, in step S909, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 sets the interrupt permission and proceeds to the payout control process described below.

On the other hand, if no power outage information is set in step S904, or if a backup abnormality is confirmed based on the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) in step S906, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 similarly clears all areas of the RAM 513 to "0" (step S910) and performs initialization processing (step S911).

Next, the flow of the payout control process will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 28.

In FIG. 28, in step S1001, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 acquires and stores commands from the main control device 261. The commands stored here include 15 types of prize ball commands (15 types of prize ball commands for instructing the payout of 1 to 15 balls), a payout return command for instructing the payout control device 311 to start payout control, and a payout initialization command for instructing the payout control device 311 to initialize payout, totaling 17 types of commands.

In step S1002, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 determines whether or not a payout permission has been received. In other words, it determines whether or not a payout return command or a prize ball command has been received. In addition, in step S1003, the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 checks a state return switch (not shown), and if it determines that a state return operation should be started, it executes the state return operation.

Then, in step S1004, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 executes the setting of the lower tray full state or the lower tray full/unfull state according to the change in the state of the lower tray 15. That is, the full state of the lower tray 15 is determined based on the detection signal of the lower tray full switch, and when the lower tray becomes full, the setting of the lower tray full state is executed, and when the lower tray is no longer full, the setting of the lower tray full/unfull state is executed.

In addition, in step S1005, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 executes the setting of the tank ball absent state or the tank ball absent release state according to the change in the state of the tank ball. That is, the tank ball absent state is determined by the detection signal of the tank ball absent switch, and when the tank ball is absent, the tank ball absent state is executed, and when the tank ball is no longer absent, the tank ball absent release state is executed.

Then, in step S1006, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 determines whether or not there is a condition that requires notification, and if there is, notifies the user via a 7-segment LED provided in the dispensing control device 311.

In steps S1007 to S1009, the prize ball payout process is executed. In this case, if the prize balls are not in a payout-disabled state and the total number of prize balls stored in step S1001 is not "0" (steps S1007 and S1008 are both NO), the process proceeds to step S1009 and the prize ball control process (FIG. 29 described below) is started. Also, if the prize balls are in a payout-disabled state or the total number of prize balls is 0 (either step S1007 or S1008 is YES), the process proceeds to the loan ball payout process.

Then, in steps S1010 to S1012, the loan ball payout process is executed. In this case, if the loan ball is not in a state where it cannot be paid out and a loan ball payout request has been received from the card unit (steps S1010: NO, S1011: YES), the process proceeds to step S1012, and the loan ball control process (FIG. 30, described below) is started. If the loan ball is not in a state where it cannot be paid out or a loan ball payout request has not been received (steps S1010: YES or S1011: NO), the subsequent vibration motor control (step S1013) is executed.

In step S1013, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 executes control of the vibrator 360 (see FIG. 3) (vibration motor control). Then, in step S1014, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 determines whether or not a power outage has occurred. If a power outage has occurred, the process proceeds to step S1015, and if not, the process returns to step S1001. In step S1015, the CPU 511 of the dispensing control device 311 sets information on the occurrence of a power outage, and in step S1016, creates a RAM judgment value. Then, the process enters an infinite loop in preparation for the power being completely cut off and processing being unable to be executed.

Here, in the prize ball control process shown in FIG. 29, in step S1101, the payout motor 358a is driven to pay out prize balls. In the following step S1102, it is determined whether the rotation of the payout motor 358a is normal based on the detection result of the payout rotation sensor. If the rotation of the payout motor 358a is not normal, the process proceeds to step S1103, where the payout motor 358a is driven to perform a retry process and a stop process for the payout motor 358a is performed, and then the process returns to the payout control process of FIG. 28.

If the rotation of the payout motor 358a is normal, the process proceeds to step S1104, and whether the game balls are being counted normally is determined based on the detection result of the payout count switch. If the game balls are not being counted normally, the process proceeds to step S1105, and the payout motor 358a is driven to execute a retry process and execute a stop process for the payout motor 358a, and then the process returns to the payout control process in FIG. 28.

Furthermore, if the game ball count is normal, proceed to step S1106, and determine whether the number of game balls counted by the payout count switch has reached the total number of winning balls and payout has been completed. If payout has been completed, execute the stop process of the payout motor 358a in step S1107, and then return to the payout control process in FIG. 28.

In addition, in the ball loan control process shown in FIG. 30, in step S1201, the payout motor 358a is driven to dispense the loaned balls. In the following step S1202, it is determined whether the rotation of the payout motor 358a is normal based on the detection result of the payout rotation sensor. If the rotation of the payout motor 358a is not normal, the process proceeds to step S1203, where the payout motor 358a is driven to execute a retry process and a stop process for the payout motor 358a is executed, and then the process returns to the payout control process of FIG. 28.

If the rotation of the payout motor 358a is normal, the process proceeds to step S1204, and whether the game balls are being counted normally is determined based on the detection result of the payout count switch. If the game balls are not being counted normally, the process proceeds to step S1205, and the payout motor 358a is driven to execute a retry process and execute a stop process for the payout motor 358a, and then the process returns to the payout control process in FIG. 28.

Furthermore, if the game ball count is normal, proceed to step S1206, and determine whether the number of game balls counted by the payout count switch has reached the specified number of loaned balls (25 balls) and payout has been completed. If payout has been completed, stop processing of the payout motor 358a is executed in step S1207, and then return to the payout control processing of FIG. 28.

The above-mentioned NMI interrupt processing is also executed in the payout control device 311, and the state of the payout control device 311 at the time of power cut due to a power outage or the like is stored in the backup area of the RAM 513 by this NMI interrupt. Similarly, for a predetermined time after the power outage signal S1 is output, power is supplied from the power supply unit 541 so that the payout control device 311 processing can be executed. In other words, when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the power outage signal S1 is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 542 to the NMI terminal of the CPU 511 in the payout control device 311, and the CPU 511 interrupts the control being executed and starts the NMI interrupt processing of FIG. 26. The contents are as explained in FIG. 26.

Next, the main processing and normal processing of the sub-controller 262 will be described with reference to Figs. 31 and 32. Fig. 31 is a flowchart showing an example of the main processing executed by the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262, and this main processing is started in response to a reset when the power is turned on. Fig. 32 is a flowchart showing an example of the normal processing executed by the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262.

First, in step S2001, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 executes the initial setting process associated with power-on. Specifically, it performs port setting (port I/O switching and initial value output), timer setting (1 ms interval timer, LCD command strobe output timer), and interrupt setting (sub-command strobe interrupt).

In addition, in step S2002, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether the power-off process is incomplete. Specifically, it determines whether all of the lamps (such as the circular illumination section 102 and the central illumination section 103) of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine 10 are turned off and whether the speaker is muted. If the power-off process is incomplete, the process proceeds to step S2004; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S2003.

Next, in step S2003, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 determines whether the RAM of the sub-controller 262 is destroyed, and if it is destroyed, proceeds to step S2004, and if not, proceeds to step S2007. In step S2004, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 performs a read/write check of the RAM area of the sub-controller 262. Then, in step S2005, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 determines whether the RAM of the sub-controller 262 is normal or not. If the RAM of the sub-controller 262 is normal, proceeds to step S2006, and if it is abnormal, proceeds to step S2012. In step S2006, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 writes data for checking RAM destruction for each area of the RAM 553, and sets the RAM destruction check data to determine that the RAM is destroyed if there is an abnormality in reading the data.

Then, in step S2007, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether the power has been turned on after being turned off. If the power has been turned on after being turned off, the process proceeds to step S2008; if not, the process proceeds to step S2009.

In step S2008, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 clears the RAM area other than the unprocessed RAM area. Specifically, the unprocessed RAM area is an area that stores information that would cause problems for the system if the data were cleared, and is an area for information that should be kept unless the RAM area is destroyed. Examples include a sub-command reception buffer and power-on information. When the main control unit 261 turns off the power and the sub-controller 262 is reset (when a power-off notification command is received from the main control unit 261), the RAM area other than the unprocessed RAM area is cleared.

In step S2009, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets interrupt permission. In step S2010, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the initial values of the RAM of the sub-control device 262. In step S2011, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the performance initialization flag to "1" and transitions to normal processing shown in FIG. 32.

In step S2012, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 issues a RAM abnormality notification and enters an infinite loop. For example, the notification may be made by turning on a specific lamp unconditionally.

As shown in FIG. 32, in step S2101, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not 1 ms or more has elapsed since the start of normal processing. If 1 ms or more has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S2102; if not, the process proceeds to step S2110.

In step S2102, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs lamp output processing. Specifically, it performs lamp output in accordance with the changing pattern presentation of the decorative pattern (third pattern) on the third pattern display device 42.

In step S2103, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 issues a power-on notification. Specifically, a power-on command is issued to notify the user for 30 seconds. Specifically, the power-on notification is issued by displaying an image on the third pattern display device 42 notifying the user that the power has been turned on, or by lighting the lamps on the illumination unit 300 in a pattern notifying the user that the power has been turned on.

In step S2104, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a customer waiting performance. Specifically, it switches between titles and still images. In other words, it displays a so-called demo screen.

In step S2105, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a process of updating the display of the number of reserved items for the first pattern change. Specifically, this process of updating the display of the number of reserved items is a process for displaying the display corresponding to the reserved lamp 40c of the first pattern display device 40 on the third pattern display device 42 as well.

In step S2106, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs frame button input monitoring and presentation processing. Specifically, this frame button input monitoring and presentation processing is intended to provide model-specific presentations in response to pressing of a frame button in pachinko machines that are equipped with frame buttons that can be pressed by the player (for example, the up selection button 71, down selection button 72, frame button 80, etc., as shown in FIG. 1). Therefore, this processing is not necessary in pachinko machines that do not have such frame buttons.

In step S2107, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs lamp editing processing. Specifically, the CPU 551 performs processing to edit the lamp lighting pattern in the illumination unit 300 that corresponds to (synchronizes with) the changing pattern presentation of the decorative pattern in the third pattern display device 42.

In step S2108, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs sound editing and output processing. Specifically, the CPU 551 performs processing to play a sound (output voice, music, sound effects, etc.) that corresponds to (synchronizes with) the decorative pattern change pattern presentation on the third pattern display device 42.

In step S2109, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a performance execution management process. Specifically, it performs time management to synchronize the lamps, sounds, and liquid crystal performance (the decorative pattern changing pattern performance on the third pattern display device 42).

When this LCD presentation (for example, the reach display presentation of the jackpot/miss super reach A to E) is to be synchronized with a presentation in which the operable illumination unit in the game board 30 described below operates as a movable part, a part operation pattern designation command equivalent to the display variation pattern designation command is set and transmitted to the drive control unit that operates the movable part.

In step S2110, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a process of updating the value of a random number that determines the decorative pattern variation pattern and the sound lamp performance to be performed by the third pattern display device 42. Specifically, this random number may take a value between "0" and "32767", for example, and may return to "0" when it reaches the upper limit value "37268".

In step S2111, when the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 receives a command from the main control device 261, it performs processing corresponding to each command.

Specifically, when the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 receives a variation pattern designation command from the main controller 261, it transmits a display command obtained by converting this variation pattern designation command to the display controller 45. The variation pattern designation command may be output as is. When the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 receives a decorative pattern designation command from the main controller 261, it transmits a stop display command obtained by converting this decorative pattern designation command to the display controller 45. When a notice command is generated in addition to the stop display command in the command conversion of the decorative pattern designation command, the notice command is also transmitted to the display controller 45. An example of this notice command is the presence or absence of a school of fish as a notice. When the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 receives a full stop command (confirmation command) from the main controller 261, it transmits the full stop command as is to the display controller 45.

When the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 receives a variation pattern designation command from the main controller 261, the CPU 551 transmits a lamp lighting command, which is a command converted from the variation pattern designation command, to the illumination controller that controls the illumination unit 300. The CPU 551 also transmits a sound output command, which is a command converted from the variation pattern designation command, to the sound output controller 46 that controls the sound output unit 24.

In step S2112, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a command output process to output a command to the display control device 45, etc. The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 transmits various commands, such as the display command and stop display command, to the display control device 45.

In step S2113, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 determines whether the RAM of the sub-controller 262 has been corrupted. If the RAM has not been corrupted, the process returns to step S1401, and if the RAM has been corrupted, the process enters an infinite loop.

Here, the customer waiting performance processing of step S2104 shown in FIG. 32 by the sub-control device 262 will be explained using FIG. 33. FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing the customer waiting performance processing by the sub-control device 262.

In step S2221, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not 30 seconds or more have passed since power was turned on. If 30 seconds have passed, the process proceeds to step S2222; if not, the process ends. In step S2222, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a command to display the normal screen on the third pattern display device 42, and proceeds to step S2223. In step S2223, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the normal screen display flag to 1.

In step S2224, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a firing operation command has been received. If not, the process proceeds to step S2225; if so, the process proceeds to step S2229.

In step S2225, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a waiting time (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the normal screen was displayed. If 60 seconds have elapsed, the process proceeds to step S2226; if not, the process ends. In step S2226, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a demo screen display command to cause the third pattern display device 42 to display a demo screen, and then proceeds to steps S2227 and S2228.

The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the demo screen display flag to 1 in step S2227, and sets the normal screen display flag to 0 in step S2228, and ends this process.

In step S2229 described above, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether the demo screen display flag is 1. If it is 1, the process proceeds to step S2230; if not, the process ends. In step S2230, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a normal screen display command for displaying a normal screen on the third pattern display device 42, and proceeds to steps S2231 and S2232.

The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the normal screen display flag to 1 in step S2231, and sets the demo screen display flag to 0 in step S2232, thereby terminating this process.

Here, the frame button input monitoring and rendering process of step S2106 shown in FIG. 32 by the sub-control device 262 will be described with reference to FIG. 34. FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing the frame button input monitoring and rendering process by the sub-control device 262.

As shown in FIG. 34, the sub-control device 262 performs frame button input monitoring and performance processing. Specifically, first, in step S2301, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs decision button input monitoring and performance processing. Specifically, when the display screen 42a requests the player to operate the decision button 81 to instruct the execution of a predetermined performance, it is displayed that the execution of a predetermined performance is instructed in response to the player pressing the decision button 81. For example, when the decision button 81 is requested to be pressed, an image corresponding to the decision button 81 and a text image saying "Press!" are displayed.

In step S2302, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs selection button input monitoring and presentation processing, and ends this processing. Specifically, when the player is requested to operate the selection buttons 82, 83 on the display screen 42a to indicate a predetermined selection, a display is displayed indicating that the predetermined selection will be made in response to the selection operation of the selection buttons 82, 83 by the player. For example, when the pressing of the selection buttons 82, 83 is requested, images to be selected (e.g., multiple character images) encouraging the pressing of the selection buttons 82, 83 and a text image such as "Please select a character" are displayed.

Next, the above-mentioned decision button input monitoring and performance process will be described in detail. Figure 35 is a flowchart showing the decision button input monitoring and performance process.

In step S2311, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 monitors input to the decision button 81. In step S2312, if the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 detects pressing of the decision button 81, it proceeds to the determination steps from step S2313 onwards, and if not, it ends this process.

The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether the normal screen display flag is 1 (step S2313), whether the demo screen display flag is 1 (step S2314), whether the high-speed fluctuation flag is 1 (step S2315), whether the jackpot opening flag is 1 (step S2316), and whether the jackpot ending flag is 1, and if none of these are 1, proceeds to step S2321.

In step S2321, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether the button suggestion performance flag is 1. The button suggestion performance flag is set to 1 during the period in which an image requesting pressing of the Decision button 81 is displayed in the button suggestion performance, and is set to 0 when the period ends (the request to press the Decision button 81 ends). If the button suggestion performance flag is 1, proceed to step S2322. If not, end this processing. In step S2322, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines that the Decision button 81 has been pressed during the period in which the image requesting pressing of the Decision button 81 was displayed, sets a button suggestion performance execution command, and ends this processing.

Return to step S2313. In the determination steps from step S2313 to step S2318, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not it is time to perform a volume change operation.

Specifically, if the normal screen display flag is 1 (normal screen is being displayed) in step S2313, if the demo screen display flag is 1 (demo screen is being displayed) in step S2314, or if the high speed changing flag is 1 (main decorative pattern SZ is changing at high speed) in step S2315, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 proceeds to step S2320. In step S2320, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a display specific operation screen display command for displaying a specific operation screen. The specific operation screen is a screen for controlling the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 24.

Also, if the jackpot opening flag is 1 (opening performance in progress) in step S2316, the process proceeds to step S2317. In step S2317, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not 5 seconds have passed since the start of the opening performance in order to determine whether or not it is time to display a specific operation screen during the opening performance. If 5 seconds have passed, the process proceeds to step S2320, and if not, the process proceeds to step S2318.

Also, if the jackpot ending flag is 1 (ending performance in progress) in step S2318, the process proceeds to step S2319. In step S2319, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not 3 seconds have passed before the end of the ending performance in order to determine whether or not the timing has come when a specific operation screen (e.g., a volume operation screen) can no longer be displayed during the ending performance. If 3 seconds have not passed before the end of the ending performance, the process proceeds to the above-mentioned step S2320, where a display command for the specific operation screen for display is set. If not, the process proceeds to the above-mentioned step S2321, but as the determination is negative, the process ends as is.

Next, the details of the selection button input monitoring and rendering process described above will be explained. Figure 36 is a flowchart showing the selection button input monitoring and rendering process.

In step S2331, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 monitors input to the selection buttons 82 and 83. In step S2332, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not pressing of the selection buttons 82 and 83 has been detected. If pressing has been detected, the process proceeds to step S2333; otherwise, the process ends.

In step S2333, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a specific operation screen is displayed on the third pattern display device 42. If it is displayed, the process proceeds to step S2334; if not, the process proceeds to step S2335. In step S2334, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a selection operation command that reflects the result of the selection operation on the specific operation screen. Specifically, the volume level is increased or decreased.

In step S2335, it is determined whether or not a button suggestion performance selection screen is displayed on the third pattern display device 42. If it is displayed, the process proceeds to step S2334, and if it is not, the process ends. In step S2334, similar to the above, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a selection operation command that reflects the result of the selection operation on the button suggestion performance operation screen. Specifically, one of the options is selected on the suggestion performance screen showing options (such as the selection of player PY described above with reference to FIG. 14). This ends the process.

Next, the performance execution management process of step S2109 shown in FIG. 32 by the sub-control device 262 will be explained using FIG. 37.

In step S2401, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs processing when a read-ahead fluctuation pattern designation command is received. The processing when a read-ahead fluctuation pattern designation command is received is described below. FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing the processing by the sub-control device 262 when a read-ahead fluctuation pattern designation command is received.

In step S2411, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a command to specify a variation pattern for pre-reading has been received. If a command to specify a variation pattern for pre-reading has been received, the process proceeds to step S2412; if not, the process ends.

In step S2412, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a reserved ball storage area designation command has been received. If a reserved ball storage area designation command has been received, the process proceeds to step S2413; if not, the process ends.

In step S2413, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 stores the currently received read-ahead variation pattern designation command in the reserved ball storage area designated by the reserved ball storage area designation command. The RAM 553 of the sub-control device 262 is provided with reserved ball storage areas that correspond to the reserved ball storage areas (execution area and first to fourth reserved areas) provided in the RAM 503 of the main control device 261. The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 stores the received command in one of the first to fourth reserved areas designated by the read-ahead variation pattern designation command.

In step S2414, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 refers to the table for selecting reserved display patterns to determine the reserved display pattern that corresponds to the currently received pre-reading variable pattern designation command. In step S2415, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 converts the determined reserved display pattern into a reserved display command for display, and sets it so that this reserved display command for display and the reserved ball storage area designation command described above can be output to the display control device 45. This ends the process.

<Opening/closing mode (jackpot) display setting process>
Returning to the performance management execution process shown in Fig. 37, in step S2402, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs an open/close mode (big win) display setting process. This open/close mode (big win) display setting process will be described below with reference to Fig. 39.

In step S2431, if the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 has received an opening command, it proceeds to step S2432, otherwise it proceeds to step S2434.

In step S2432, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the display opening command.

In step S2434, if the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 has received an ending command, it proceeds to step S2435; otherwise, it terminates this process.

In step S2435, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets an ending command for display and ends this process.

<Variable display mode setting process>
Returning to the performance management execution process shown in Fig. 37, in step S2403, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a variable display mode setting process. This variable display mode setting process will be described below with reference to Fig. 40.

In step S2471, if the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 has received a variation pattern designation command, it proceeds to step S2472, and if not, it proceeds to step S2480.

In step S2472, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 executes a process to shift the data stored in the reserved ball storage area provided in the RAM 553. This data shift process is a process to shift the data stored in the first to fourth reserved areas of the reserved ball storage area to the execution area side in sequence. Specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: first reserved area → execution area, second reserved area → first reserved area, third reserved area → second reserved urea, fourth reserved area → third reserved area.

In step S2473, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a display variation pattern designation command for displaying on the third pattern display device 42 the decorative pattern variation corresponding to the variation pattern designation command shifted to the execution area of the RAM 553, and proceeds to step S2474. The display variation pattern designation command is a display command for executing the decorative pattern variation display in a variation pattern such as, for example, jackpot normal reach A, B, jackpot super reach A-E, front and rear miss normal reach A, B, front and rear miss super reach A-D, non-front and rear miss normal reach A, B, non-front and rear miss super reach A-D, and complete miss A-F.

In step S2474, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 judges whether the variation pattern designation command is a command with a button suggestion effect. Specifically, the variation pattern designation command determines whether or not there is a button suggestion effect using the value of the variation type counter CS2 and the table for selecting the main decorative pattern variation pattern. If there is a button suggestion effect, the process proceeds to step S2475, and if not, the process ends.

In step S2475, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a display button suggestion effect designation command for displaying a button suggestion effect on the third pattern display device 42, and proceeds to step S2476. In step S2476, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets the button suggestion effect flag to 1.

In step S2477, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a decorative pattern designation command has been received. If a decorative pattern designation command has been received, the process proceeds to step S2478; if not, the process ends. Instead of determining whether or not a decorative pattern designation command has been received, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 may determine whether or not it is time to end the variable time according to the received variable pattern designation command. In this case, when the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 receives a variable pattern designation command, it reads the variable time from the command, measures the variable time using a timer, and determines the end timing of the variable time.

In step S2478, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a stop display command (confirmation command) to stop (confirm) the varying display of the decorative pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 42, and ends this process.

<Variable display mode setting process>
Returning to the effect management execution process shown in Fig. 37, in step S2404, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a next game state display mode setting process. This next game state display mode setting process will be described below with reference to Fig. 41.

In step S2491, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a high probability/support state transition command has been received. If so, the process proceeds to step S2492; if not, the process proceeds to step S2493.

In step S2492, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a high probability/support state transition command for display on the third pattern display device 42 to explicitly or implicitly inform the player of the transition to the high probability/support state, and ends this process.

In step S2493, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a low probability/support state transition command has been received. If so, the process proceeds to step S2494; if not, the process proceeds to step S2495.

In step S2494, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a low probability/support state transition command for display on the third pattern display device 42 to explicitly or implicitly inform the player of the transition to the low probability/support state, and ends this process.

In step S2495, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines whether or not a low-probability state transition command has been received. If a low-probability state transition command has been received, the process proceeds to step S2496; if not, the process ends.

In step S2496, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 sets a low probability state transition command for display on the third pattern display device 42 to explicitly or implicitly inform the player of the transition to the low probability state, and ends this process.

Next, the normal processing of the display control device 45 and the switching processing of the display mode, etc. will be described with reference to Figs. 42 and 43. Fig. 42 is a flowchart showing the normal processing of the display control device. Fig. 43 is a flowchart showing the switching processing of the display mode, etc. by the display control device.

As shown in FIG. 42, in step S3001, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 performs a command input process to input and process various commands transmitted from the sub-control device 262, and then proceeds to step S3002. Examples of the various commands include a display command, a stop display command, a display opening command, a display ending command, a demo start command, and a symbol row change start command.

In step S3002, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 performs a process of switching the display mode, etc. (display of the pattern row variation, big win opening, big win ending, etc.), and proceeds to step S3003. Here, this process of switching the display mode, etc. will be explained using FIG. 43.

As shown in FIG. 43, in step S3101, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a normal screen display command has been received. If a normal screen display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3102; if not, the process proceeds to step S3103. The display command is a command sent from the sub-control device 262, and is a command to allow the third pattern display device 42 to display a normal screen when the power to the pachinko machine is turned on, or a command to return the display mode of the third pattern display device 42 to the normal mode that displays the normal screen after the end of the jackpot round.

In step S3102, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a normal screen on the third symbol display device 42. As shown in FIG. 9, the normal screen is a screen in which the main decorative symbol SZ and the secondary decorative symbol FZ are displayed in a stopped state in front of the normal background image in a manner that does not constitute a jackpot combination. The normal background image is stored in the video RAM 524 of the display control device 45.

In step S3103, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a demo screen display command has been received. If a demo screen display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3104; if not, the process proceeds to step S3105. The demo screen display command is a command received from the sub-control device 262, and is a command for instructing a switch from the normal screen to the demo screen when a predetermined time has elapsed without the player firing a game ball.

In step S3104, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a demo screen on the third symbol display device 42. The demo screen is an image that introduces the game method and features, and is stored in the video RAM 524 of the display control device 45.

In step S3105, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a display variation pattern designation command has been received. If a display variation pattern designation command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3106; if not, the process proceeds to step S3107.

In step S3106, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 controls the display of the third pattern display device 42 to start the variation of the main decorative pattern SZ and the secondary decorative pattern FZ of the three decorative pattern columns L, M, and R shown in FIG. 9, and finally perform a variation display that stops and displays. Specifically, the variation display control of the main decorative pattern SZ and the secondary decorative pattern FZ is a control that executes steps S3003 to S3007, which will be described later. The pattern column variation display process executed in this step S3106 will be described later.

In step S3107, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not the display specific operation screen display command set in the above-mentioned step S2320 has been received. If the display specific operation screen display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3108; if not, the process proceeds to step S3109.

In step S3108, the CPU 521 of the display control device performs the specific operation screen display process described below.

In step S3109, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a display opening command has been received. If a display opening command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3110; if not, the process proceeds to step S3111.

In step S3110, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 controls the display of the third symbol display device 42 to start displaying a jackpot opening image. The jackpot opening image is an image that is displayed after the decorative symbol variation display is confirmed as a jackpot combination, and is an image that celebrates the jackpot win. Furthermore, once the jackpot opening display is finished, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 then starts displaying a jackpot round image. The jackpot round image is an image that is displayed during the jackpot round, and is, for example, a bonus image that can only be seen during the jackpot round. The jackpot opening image and jackpot round image are stored in the video RAM 524 of the display control device 45. The jackpot opening/round display process executed in this step S3110 will be described later.

In step S3111, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a display ending command has been received. If a display ending command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3112; if not, the process proceeds to step S3113. In step S3112, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 controls the display of the third symbol display device 42 to start displaying a jackpot ending image. The jackpot ending image is stored in the video RAM of the display control device 45. The jackpot ending display process executed in step S3112 will be described later.

In step S3113, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a high probability support state transition command for display has been received. If a high probability support state transition command for display has been received, the process proceeds to step S3114; if not, the process proceeds to step S3115.

In step S3114, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes the high probability/support state transition display process described below.

In step S3115, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a low probability/support state transition command for display has been received. If a low probability/support state transition command for display has been received, the process proceeds to step S3116; if not, the process ends.

In step S3116, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes the low probability/support state transition process for display, which will be described later. This ends the process.

Returning to FIG. 42, in step S3003, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines the stopping pattern, and proceeds to step S3004. Specifically, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines a predetermined stopping pattern from among a group of selectable stopping patterns determined by a display variation pattern designation command received from the sub-control device 262. In the case of a jackpot variation pattern, the predetermined stopping pattern is determined from among odd or even patterns. In the case of a miss variation pattern, the predetermined stopping pattern is determined from among front and rear miss patterns, non-front and rear miss patterns, and complete miss patterns.

In step S3004, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines the variable display mode of the decorative pattern to be displayed on the third pattern display device 42, and proceeds to step S3005.

Specifically, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines the variable display mode of the decorative pattern corresponding to the variable pattern indicated by the display variable pattern designation command received from the sub-control device 262. For example, if the command indicates a normal jackpot reach A, the variable display mode corresponding to the normal jackpot reach A is determined. Each of the variable display modes described above is stored in the program ROM of the display control device 45.

In step S3005, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines the auxiliary effect (the display mode of a suggestive image such as a message to be provided to the player) and proceeds to step S3006. The suggestive image is an image that suggests that the pattern change display executed by the third pattern display device 42 may result in a jackpot combination.

In step S3006, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 controls the display image of the third pattern display device 42.

Specifically, when the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a pattern change display image on the third pattern display device 42, it controls the display of the third pattern display device 42 so as to perform a pattern change display of the main decorative pattern SZ and the secondary decorative pattern FZ in each decorative pattern column L, M, R according to the change display mode determined in step S3004, and a change display that finally stops according to the stopping pattern determined in step S3003.

The CPU 521 of the display control device 45 also performs display image control to display a jackpot round image on the third pattern display device 42. If it is a jackpot round image, an image indicating the current round number is displayed along with a bonus image that is displayed during the jackpot round. In addition, if there is a resident image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 42, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 also performs display image control to display the resident image on the third pattern display device 42.

In step S3007, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 performs hold display control to execute hold display on the third pattern display device 42.

Specifically, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes processing corresponding to the hold display command for display received from the sub-control device 262. When the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes the hold display command for display received from the sub-control device 262, it reads out from the program ROM 552 and executes a hold display execution program corresponding to the hold display pattern indicated by the received hold display command for display. The hold display execution program has predetermined execution patterns of hold displays in the first to fourth hold display areas and execution patterns of hold displays in the hold display areas.

The CPU 521 of the display control device 45 also performs a process to shift the reserved display displayed in the reserved display area each time the decorative pattern change display finishes. Specifically, when the decorative pattern change display finishes, the reserved display in the execution display area is erased, and the reserved display is shifted as follows: first reserved display area → execution display area, second reserved display area → first reserved display area, third reserved display area → second reserved display area, fourth reserved display area → third reserved display area. If the number of reserved balls is 0, a reserved display is displayed in the execution display area.

In step S3008, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes a specific operation period notification process that notifies the third pattern display device 42 of a period during which a specific operation, such as changing the volume, can be performed. The specific operation period notification process will be described later.

In step S3009, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes a right-hit notification process to cause the player to perform a right-hit operation on the third pattern display device 42. The right-hit notification process will be described later.

In step S3010, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes a next game state approaching status notification process to notify the third symbol display device 42 that the next game state is approaching. The next game state approaching status notification process will be described later.

In step S3011, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 performs other processing, such as demo display.

In step S3012, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not 1 ms or more has elapsed since the start of normal processing. If 1 ms or more has elapsed, the process returns to step S3001; if not, the process returns to step S3008.

Next, the pattern row change process described above in step S3106 will be explained using FIG. 44. FIG. 44 is a flowchart showing the pattern row change process.

In step S3201, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays the high-speed fluctuation of the right, center, and left main decorative patterns Sz on the third pattern display device 42 for a predetermined period of time. In step S3202, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets a high-speed fluctuation flag, indicating that high-speed fluctuation is occurring, to 1. The high-speed fluctuation flag is set in the RAM 523.

In step S3203, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the ongoing variable display includes a reach. Specifically, this is determined based on the received display variable pattern designation command. If there is a reach, the process proceeds to step S3204, and if there is no reach, the process proceeds to step S3211.

In step S3204, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether it is reach timing. If it is reach timing, proceed to step S3205, otherwise proceed to step S3208. In step S3205, the left and right main decorative patterns Sz are stopped at a predetermined reach combination, and the center main decorative pattern Sz continues to change. Since the high-speed change ended when this reach was displayed, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the high-speed change flag to 0 in step S3206, and sets the reach change flag to 1 in step S3207, indicating that the reach change is in progress.

In step S3208, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a stop display command has been received. If a stop display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3209; if not, the process ends. In step S3209, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 stops the main decorative pattern Sz during the reach fluctuation, and stops the right, center, and left main decorative patterns Sz in a predetermined combination. If there is no effect that causes the pattern to change again at this point, the stopped pattern is confirmed. As a result, in step S3210, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the reach fluctuation flag to 0.

In step S3211, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a stop display command has been received in the non-reach variable display. If a stop display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3212; if not, the process ends. In step S3212, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 stops the right, center, and left main decorative patterns Sz in a predetermined combination. If there is no effect of changing again at this point, the stopped patterns are confirmed. As a result, in step S3213, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the high-speed variable flag to 0. This ends the process.

Next, the specific operation screen display process shown in step S3108 described above will be explained using FIG. 45. FIG. 45 is a flowchart showing the specific operation screen display process.

In step S3221, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a specific operation screen on the third symbol display device 42 based on the reception of the display specific operation screen display command in step S3107 described above. The specific operation screen is a screen on which the player can turn up or down the volume by operating the selection buttons 82 and 83.

In step S3222, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a selection operation command based on the player pressing the selection buttons 82, 83 has been received. If a selection operation command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3223; if not, the process proceeds to step S3224. In step S3223, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a change in the volume on the third pattern display device 42 depending on which of the selection buttons 82, 83 has been operated.

In step S3224, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a decision command based on the player pressing the decision button 81 has been received. If a decision command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3225; if not, the process proceeds to step S3226. In step S3225, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 erases the display of the specific operation screen. In other words, if the decision button 81 is pressed without pressing the selection buttons 82, 83 while the specific operation screen is displayed, the display of the specific operation screen is terminated.

In step S3226, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether 30 seconds have passed since the start of displaying the specific operation screen. If 30 seconds have passed, the process proceeds to step S3225, where the display of the specific operation screen is terminated. If not, the process proceeds to step S3227.

In step S3227, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not it is 5 seconds before the high-speed fluctuation stops. If it is 5 seconds before the high-speed fluctuation stops, the process proceeds to step S3225, and the display of the specific operation screen is terminated. In other words, the display of the specific operation screen is forcibly terminated 5 seconds before the high-speed fluctuation stops.

In step S3228, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not it is 3 seconds before the end of the ending performance. If it is 3 seconds before the end of the ending performance, the process proceeds to step S3225, where the display of the specific operation screen is terminated. In other words, the display of the specific operation screen is forcibly terminated 3 seconds before the end of the ending performance.

Next, the jackpot opening round display process shown in step S3110 described above will be explained using FIG. 46. FIG. 46 is a flowchart showing the jackpot opening round display process.

In step S3231, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a jackpot opening image on the third pattern display device 42 based on the display opening command received in step S3109 described above. Next, in step S3232, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays opening right-hit explanation information explaining the playing method for the next round of play on the third pattern display device 42 during the period of this opening performance.

Next, in step S3233, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not the timing for the end of the opening performance has arrived. If it has arrived, the process proceeds to step S3234; if not, the process ends.

In step S3234, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 ends the display of the opening image and displays a jackpot round image. In step S3235, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays right-hit information during a round to inform the player to hit right during the jackpot round, along with the display of the jackpot round image. The display mode of this right-hit information during a round is displayed on the third pattern display device 42 in a manner that is noticeable to the player. Here, it is displayed larger than the right-hit information displayed during non-rounds, which will be described later, and is therefore referred to as an enlarged display.

In step S3236, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether 10 balls have been won (winning detection) at the big prize opening 32a (its detection switch) during one round, or whether the opening period of the big prize opening 32a has elapsed for 30 seconds. If 10 balls have been won or the big prize opening 32a has been open for 30 seconds, the process proceeds to step S3237, otherwise the process returns to step S3234. In step S3237, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the big prize round is the final round. If it is the final round, the process proceeds to step S3238, otherwise the process returns to step S3234.

In step S3238, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 ends the display of the jackpot round image. Next, in step S3239, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 ends the display (enlarged display) of the right-hit information during the round. This ends the process.

Next, the jackpot ending display process shown in step S3112 described above will be explained using FIG. 47. FIG. 47 is a flowchart showing the jackpot ending display process.

In step S3241, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a jackpot ending image on the third symbol display device 42 based on the display ending command received in step S3111 described above. In addition, in step S3242, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the jackpot round flag to 1, which indicates that the jackpot ending performance is being executed.

In addition, in step S3243, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the specific operation reception flag during the ending to 1, which indicates that a specific operation is being received during this ending period, and proceeds to step S3244. The specific operation is a volume change operation that is executed by pressing the decision button 81 during the ending period.

In step S3244, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the high probability support state transition flag or the low probability support state transition flag is 1. If the high probability support state transition flag or the low probability support state transition flag is 1, the process proceeds to step S3245; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S3251.

In step S3245, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays right-hit information during the ending on the third pattern display device 42 to inform the player that the playing method in the high probability/support state, etc. to which the player is transferred after the ending performance is right-hit. This right-hit information during the ending is displayed in a manner that is less noticeable to the player than right-hit information during the round. For example, the right-hit information during the ending is displayed in a reduced size that is sufficiently smaller than the right-hit information during the round. In addition to displaying the right-hit information during the ending, a countdown display is also performed to count down the ending period.

In step S3246, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not it is 3 seconds before the end of the ending period. If it is 3 seconds before the end of the ending period, the process proceeds to step S3247; if not, the process ends.

In step S3247, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 uses the right-hit information during the ending to display next game state approaching information on the third pattern display device 42 to inform the player that the next game state is approaching. The next game state is the game state to which the player transitions after the ending performance ends, and in this case is the high probability/support state.

In addition, in step S3248, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45, upon notifying that it is 3 seconds until the end of the ending period, sets the ending specific operation reception flag, which indicates that reception of specific operations during the ending period has ended, to 0, and proceeds to step S3249.

In step S3249, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not it is time for the ending period to end. If it is time for the ending period to end, the process proceeds to step S4250; if not, the process ends.

In step S4250, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 ends the display of the next game state approach information using the right-hit information during the ending. At the same time, the countdown display of the ending period ends as the count time expires. In step S4251, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the jackpot ending flag to 0. This ends the process.

Next, the high probability/support state transition display process shown in step S3114 described above will be explained using FIG. 48. FIG. 48 is a flowchart showing the high probability/support state transition display process.

In step S3261, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the high probability/support state transition flag is 0 or not, based on the receipt of the high probability/support state transition command for display in step S3113 described above. In other words, it determines whether the game state at the time when the special jackpot was won was in a high probability/support state. If the high probability/support state transition flag is 0 (i.e., the game state was in a low probability state when the special jackpot was won), the process proceeds to step S3262, and if not, the process proceeds to step S3263.

In step S3262, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the high probability/support state transition flag to 1. In step S3263, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the jackpot ending flag is 0. If the jackpot ending flag is 0, the process proceeds to step S3264; if not, the process proceeds to step S3266.

In step S3264, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays the background screen during the transition to the high probability/support state on the third pattern display device 42. In step S3265, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays right hit information during the high probability/support state on the third pattern display device 42. The right hit information during the high probability/support state is displayed in a manner that makes it easier for the player to notice it than the right hit information during the ending. For example, the right hit information during the high probability/support state is displayed in a larger size than the right hit information during the ending.

In step S3226, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether it is time to end the high probability/support state. In this embodiment, the high probability/support state ends when the number of changes is 100. If it is time to end the high probability/support state, proceed to step S3267; if not, end this process.

In step S3267, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 ends the enlarged display of the right-hit information during the high probability/support state. In step S3268, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the high probability/support state transition flag to 0. This ends the process.

Next, the low probability/support state transition display process shown in step S3116 described above will be described with reference to FIG. 49. FIG. 49 is a flowchart showing the low probability/support state transition display process.

In step S3271, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the high probability/support state transition flag is 1 based on the low probability/support state transition flag received in step S3115 described above. If the high probability/support state transition flag is 1, the process proceeds to step S3272; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S3274.

In step S3272, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the high probability/support state transition flag to 0 and proceeds to step S3273. In step S3273, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the low probability/support state transition flag to 1.

In step S3274, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the jackpot ending flag is 0. If the jackpot ending flag is 0, the process proceeds to step S3275; if not, the process proceeds to step S3276.

In step S3275, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays a screen during the low probability/support state on the third pattern display device 42. Also, in step S3276, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays right hit information during the low probability/support state on the third pattern display device 42. Like right hit information during the high probability/support state, right hit information during the low probability/support state is displayed in a manner that is more noticeable to the player than right hit information during the ending.

In step S3277, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the timing to end the low probability/support state has arrived. If it has arrived, the process proceeds to step S3278; if not, the process proceeds to step S3279.

In step S3278, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 erases the right-hit information during the low probability/support state from the third pattern display device 42. In step S3279, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 sets the low probability/support state transition flag to 0. This ends the process.

Next, the specific operation period notification process shown in step S3008 described above will be explained using FIG. 50. FIG. 50 is a flowchart explaining the specific operation period notification process.

In step S3301, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a normal screen display command has been received. If a normal screen display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3302; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S3303.

In step S3302, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays specific operation period information on the third pattern display device 42. The specific operation period information is information that notifies the player that a specific operation using the decision button 81 can be performed during the period. The specific operation is, for example, pressing the decision button 81 to display a volume change operation screen.

In step S3303, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a demo screen display command has been received. If a demo screen display command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3302 to display information during the specific operation period, and if not, the process proceeds to step S3304.

In step S3304, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a display opening command has been received. If a display opening command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3305; if not, the process proceeds to step S3306.

In step S3305, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not it is time to display the above-mentioned specific operation period information in the jackpot opening performance. The display timing of the specific operation period information in the jackpot opening performance is 5 seconds after the start of the jackpot opening performance. If it is time to display it, proceed to step S3302, and if not, proceed to step S3306.

In step S3306, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a display variation pattern designation command has been received. If a display variation pattern designation command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3307; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S3311.

In step S3307, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether the high probability/support state transition flag is 1. If the high probability/support state transition flag is 1, the process ends because the device is in a high probability/support state and specific operations such as changing the volume cannot be performed, and if not, the process proceeds to step S3308.

In step S3308, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 displays specific operation period end approaching information on the third pattern display device 42. The specific operation period end approaching information is information that notifies the player that the end timing of the specific operation period is approaching. The specific operation is, for example, an operation for changing the volume.

In step S3309, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not it is time to end the display of the specific operation period end approach information. If it is time to end the display, the process proceeds to step S3310; if not, the process ends.

In step S3310, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 erases the specific operation period end proximity information from the third pattern display device 42 and ends this process.

In step S3311, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a display ending command has been received. If a display ending command has been received, the process proceeds to step S3312; if not, the process ends.

In step S3312, the CPU 521 of the table control device 45 determines whether the high probability/support state transition flag or the low probability/support state transition flag is 1. In other words, it determines whether the game state to be transitioned to after the ending performance is a high probability/support state or a low probability/support state. If the high probability/support state transition flag or the low probability/support state transition flag is 1, proceed to step S3308 and display specific operation period end proximity information on the third pattern display device 42. If neither the high probability/support state transition flag nor the low probability/support state is 1 (it is 0), proceed to step S3313.

In step S3313, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 transitions to the normal low probability state after the ending performance ends, and so displays information on the third pattern display device 42 during the specific operation period during the ending period as well as during the jackpot round. This ends the process.

Next, the display mode during a specific operation period in the third pattern display device 42 will be explained using Figure 51. Figures 51 (a) to (e) are diagrams explaining the display mode during a specific operation period in the third pattern display device 42.

The period during which the normal screen is displayed on the third pattern display device 42 is a period during which the player performs a specific operation, such as changing the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 24, by pressing the decision button 81. The sound output from the sound output unit 24 is sound that is output in conjunction with the start of the variable display on the third pattern display device 42, during the variable display, during the jackpot game state, during the advantageous game state after the jackpot ends, etc.

On the third pattern display device 42, during the period when the normal screen 43a is displayed as shown in (a), specific operation period information 44a is displayed to inform the player that a specific operation such as changing the volume can be performed. For example, this is text information saying "Volume can be changed" displayed in the upper right corner of the normal screen 43a of the third pattern display device 42.

In addition, the third pattern display device 42 displays information 44a during a specific operation period even during the period in which the demo screen 43b is displayed, as shown in (d). The demo screen 43b may be a still image or a video.

When the player presses the decision button 81 during the period in which the specific operation period information 44a is displayed on the normal screen 43a or demo screen 43b, the third pattern display device 42 displays a specific operation screen 44b for the volume change operation as shown in (b). The specific operation screen 44b may be displayed in place of the normal screen 43a or demo screen 43b, or may be displayed superimposed on a part of the normal screen 43a or demo screen 43b.

The specific operation screen 44b includes a change information display section 44c that displays information that can be changed by a specific operation, and an operation method display section 44d that shows the player how to perform the specific operation. For example, in the case of a volume change operation screen, the change information display section 44c is a volume display section that displays the current volume and the range in which the volume can be changed. The operation method display section 44d is a volume change method display section that illustrates the operation method for changing the volume using, for example, the decision button 81 and the selection buttons 82 and 83. The operation method display section 44d illustrates the volume change methods, in which pressing the decision button 81 determines the volume, pressing the left selection button 82 lowers the volume, and pressing the right selection button 83 increases the volume.

When the player presses the right selection button 83, the change information display section 44c displays how the current volume (the third volume level out of five levels) will be changed to the next higher volume, as shown in (c). When the player presses the left selection button 82, the change information display section 44c displays how the current volume will be changed to the next lower volume.

When the player presses the decision button 81, the third pattern display device 42 displays the normal screen 43a instead of the specific operation screen 44b, as shown in (e).

Next, the display mode during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation of the main decorative pattern Sz will be described with reference to FIG. 52. FIG. 52 (a) to (h) are diagrams explaining the display mode during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation of the main decorative pattern Sz.

As shown in (a), the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 displays a normal screen 43a, and in the upper right corner of the screen, the specific operation period information 44a, which indicates "Volume Change Possible", is displayed. When the start condition is met, as shown in (b), the display screen 42a displays a high-speed fluctuation screen 43c in place of the normal screen 43a. At the same time that the normal screen 43a switches to the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c, the specific operation period information 44a switches to the specific operation period end approach information 44f. The specific operation period end approach information 44e is information that informs the player that the end timing of the specific operation period is approaching. For example, information that suggests that the end timing of the specific operation period is approaching is added to the specific operation period information 44a. Specifically, for example, as shown in (b) to (d), the periphery of the text image of "Volume Change Possible" flashes in different colors at predetermined time intervals to suggest that the end timing is approaching. The blinking display may be at a fixed time interval, but may also blink at shorter intervals as the end timing approaches. This allows the player to realize that the period during which the specific operation can be performed is still on, but that the end timing is approaching.

As shown in (e), the specific operation period end approaching information 44e is erased at a predetermined timing before the end of the high-speed fluctuation. In other words, the operation of changing the volume (pressing the decision button 81) is possible even during high-speed fluctuation, but must be performed at the latest while the specific operation period end approaching information 44e is being displayed. The timing at which the specific operation period end approaching information 44e is erased is the timing immediately before the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c switches to the left pattern stop screen 43d (see (e) and (f)). This makes it possible to reliably show the player whether the fluctuation display during the high-speed fluctuation will be a complete miss or a reach.

After a predetermined time, the left pattern stop screen 43d becomes the all pattern stop screen 43e. When the stopped pattern is a complete miss on the all pattern stop screen 43e, if there is no pending start condition establishment as shown in (g), the all pattern stop screen 43e returns to the normal screen 43a as shown in (i). As shown in (i), the normal screen 43a is the same as the all pattern stop screen 43e, but the specific operation period information 44a is displayed again. On the other hand, even if the stopped pattern is a complete miss on the all pattern stop screen 43e, if there is pending start condition establishment as shown in (h), the all pattern stop screen 43e is changed to the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c as shown in (j), and the specific operation period end approach information 44e is displayed, and the display mode from (b) onwards is repeated.

In this way, by looking at the specific operation period end approach information 44e, the player can recognize up to what point during the high-speed fluctuations a specific operation, such as changing the volume, is possible.

Next, the display mode during a specific operation period after a reach is achieved will be explained using FIG. 53. FIG. 53 (a) to (o) are diagrams explaining the display mode during a specific operation period after a reach is achieved.

In the normal reach display screen 43f shown in (a) and the developed reach display screen 43g shown in (b), the volume cannot be changed during the reach display period, so the specific operation period information 44a is hidden. In the all-symbol stop screen 43e shown in (c), the reach display result is a jackpot combination. The specific operation period information 44a is also hidden while the all-symbol stop screen 43 is displayed. After the jackpot combination is confirmed, the all-symbol stop screen 43 is replaced by the opening screen 43h. On the opening screen 43, opening information 44f (e.g., text information congratulating the player such as "Congratulations") is displayed to inform the player of the jackpot establishment shown in (d), and then opening right-hit explanation information 44g (e.g., text information "Aim right" and a right arrow) is displayed to explain the operation method during the round play to the player during the opening. Even when the opening screen 43 is displayed, the specific operation period information 44a is not displayed during the periods (d) and (e). This is to ensure that this information is visible to players.

The specific operation period information 44a continues to be displayed from the end of the display period of the opening right hit information 44g shown in (e) until the end of the jackpot round state. In other words, the specific operation period information 44a is displayed during the end of the display period of the opening right hit information 44g and during the period from the start of the jackpot round state shown in (f) to the end of the jackpot round state shown in (g).

Specifically, the round screen 43i shown in (g) displays right-hit during round information 44h, which indicates in a manner that is easy for the player to visually confirm that right-hit is being played during the jackpot round state, and round number information 44i, which indicates the progress of the jackpot round state, along with specific operation period information 44a. Right-hit during round information 44h is information that clearly indicates that right-hit is being played, for example, in large letters or illustrations. Round number information 44i indicates that it is the first round.

In addition, the round screen 43i shown in (h) displays information about right-hand hits during a round 44h, round number information 44i indicating the final round (16th round), and information about a specific operation period 44a.

After the final round is completed, the round screen 43i is replaced by the ending screen 43j shown in (i). The ending screen 43j displays ending information 44j indicating that it is the ending period. The ending screen 43j also displays countdown information that counts down the ending time.

The ending information 44j consists of, for example, ending countdown information 44v shown in (i) to (o), next game state suggestion information 44w shown in (i), manufacturer information 44x shown in (j), card removal prevention information 44y shown in (k) and (l), and addiction prevention information 44z shown in (m) to (o).

The ending countdown information 44v is a display that counts down the ending time. The ending countdown information 44v counts down, for example, in one-second increments as time passes. For example, (i) is just after the beginning of the ending period, so "Ending time: 35 seconds left" is displayed, (j) is 10 seconds after the beginning of the ending, so "Ending time: 25 seconds left" is displayed, (k) is 15 seconds after the beginning of the ending, so "Ending time: 20 seconds left" is displayed, (l) is 16 seconds after the beginning of the ending, so "Ending time: 19 seconds left" is displayed, (m) is 32 seconds after the beginning of the ending, so "Ending time: 3 seconds left" is displayed, (n) is 33 seconds after the beginning of the ending, so "Ending time: 2 seconds left" is displayed, and (o) is 34 seconds after the beginning of the ending, so "Ending time: 1 second left" is displayed.

The next game state suggestion information 44w suggests that the game state after the ending period ends will be a probability variable state, or a normal state with a support state. Here, the text information "One more time" suggests that a high probability/support state will occur next. If a low probability/support state will occur next, the text information "Chance!" is displayed. The next game state suggestion information 44w is displayed for, for example, 10 seconds.

Manufacturer information 44x is, for example, a logo indicating the manufacturer (for example, text information such as "SANYO"). Manufacturer information 44x is displayed for, for example, five seconds. Information to prevent forgetting to remove card 44y is, for example, a graphic image indicating a prepaid card and a text image such as "Please be careful not to forget to remove your prepaid card." Information to prevent forgetting to remove card 44y is displayed for, for example, ten seconds. Addiction prevention information 44z is, for example, text information such as "Pachinko and pachislot are games that should be enjoyed in moderation." Addiction prevention information 44z is displayed for, for example, ten seconds.

In this way, a series of ending information 44j is displayed for 35 seconds on the ending screen 43j.

Ending screen 43j displays right-hit during ending information 44k, which is displayed in a manner that is less noticeable to the player than right-hit during round information 44h. For example, right-hit during ending information 44k is displayed in a size that is significantly smaller than right-hit during round information 44h. As a result, the player is given the illusion that right-hit play during the round has ended. This makes it easier to deter the player from hitting the right during the ending period.

The ending screen 43j displays specific operation period end approaching information 44e. The specific operation period approaching information 44e is displayed, for example, from the start of the ending performance shown in (i) to the end of the ending performance shown in (l). If the jackpot that includes the ending period is a guaranteed jackpot or a normal jackpot with a support state, specific operations cannot be performed during the high probability or low probability support state to which the player transitions after the ending period ends. For example, if the sound output from the sound output unit 24 in a high probability or low probability support state is louder than the previous game state in order to stimulate the player's interest, the ending period is the last opportunity to change the sound, so displaying the approaching end of the sound change operation can help the player play more comfortably.

Next game state approaching information 44l is displayed on the ending screen 43j. Next game state approaching information 44l is information that informs the player that the timing to move to the next game state is approaching. For example, next game state approaching information 44l is information that flashes around right hit information 44k during the ending. Next game state approaching information 44l is displayed for 3 seconds before the end of the ending period while the addiction prevention display 44z shown in (m) to (o) is displayed. This allows the player to recognize that the right hit display will resume.

Next, the display mode during the specific operation period after the reach is established following FIG. 53 will be described using FIG. 54. FIG. 54(a)-(o) is a diagram explaining the display mode during the specific operation period after the reach is established following FIG. 53.

As shown in (a), after the ending performance of the guaranteed jackpot state has ended, a high probability state screen 43k is displayed on the display screen 42a. The high probability state screen 43k is the same as the normal screen 43a in that the main decorative pattern Sz is displayed, but the background image is displayed in a manner that makes it clearly distinguishable from the normal screen 43a in terms of color and display content. On the high probability state screen 43k, right hit information 44m during high probability/support state is displayed. Right hit information 44m during high probability/support state is displayed in a manner that is more noticeable (enlarged) to the player than right hit information 44k during the ending.

The above-mentioned right-hit information during ending 44k, next game state approach information 44l, and ending countdown information 44v can reduce the risk of the player accidentally performing a right-hit operation at an unnecessary timing during the ending presentation, resulting in the game ball being wasted. In addition, this information can be used to launch the game ball in time with the start timing of the high probability/support state shown in (a).

As shown in (b) to (f), after the transition to the high probability/support state, right-hit information 44m continues to be displayed on the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c, the high probability state reach display screen 43f, and the all symbol stop screen 43e. Right-hit information 44m during the high probability/support state is hidden in line with the opening screen 43h shown in (g). After the opening right-hit explanation information 44g shown in (j) is displayed, right-hit information 44h is displayed during the round.

Here, as shown in (f), the reach fluctuation during the high probability state is determined by a combination (for example, "666") indicating an 8R normal jackpot without a support state (0 times). Therefore, since the next game state is a low probability state without a support state, the ending screen 43l shown in (k) to (m) does not display the right-hand hitting information 44k during the ending or the approaching information 44l of the next game state, but displays the ending countdown information 44v. This ending countdown information 44v can reduce the disadvantage caused by the player starting a left-hand hitting game for the next game state during the ending performance period. In other words, when playing a left-hand hitting game during the ending performance period, the winning ball is paid out by making the ball enter the special chart 1 start winning device 33a, but since the ball also enters the out hole without winning, there is a possibility that the number of balls held will be reduced. If the ending countdown information 44v can properly grasp the end timing of the ending time, such a situation can be reduced.

On the ending screen 43l, the next game state approach information 44l is not displayed, and the specific operation period information 44a continues to be displayed.

As shown in (n), when the ending performance ends, the normal screen 43a, which is a low probability state with no support state, is displayed. The specific operation period information 44a continues to be displayed until this timing. As shown in (o), when the normal screen 43a changes to the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c, if there is a hold, the specific operation period information 44a is displayed as specific operation period end approaching information 44e. From this point on, the screen display will be the same as that shown in FIG. 52(c) onwards.

In this way, right-hit information and specific operation period information 44a are displayed in an appropriate manner depending on whether the game state that occurs after the ending performance ends is a high probability support state (the same goes for a low probability support state) or a low probability state with no support state, making it easier for the player to understand the timing when a right-hit operation is required and the timing when the sound can be changed.

Next, the display mode when the decision button 81 is left pressed during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation will be described with reference to FIG. 55. FIGS. 55(a) to (g) are diagrams explaining the display mode when the decision button 81 is left pressed during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation.

As shown in (a), while the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is displayed, specific operation period end approaching information 44e is displayed, and a text image saying "Volume can be changed" is flashing. When the player presses the decision button 81 at this timing, the specific operation screen 44b is displayed as shown in (b). The high-speed fluctuation screen 43c may be displayed behind the specific operation screen 44b. As long as the player is aware that the volume is fluctuating rapidly, the specific operation can be performed with confidence.

If the player leaves the specific operation screen 44b displayed without operating the selection buttons 82, 83 as shown in (c) and (d), the specific operation period end approaching information 44e is displayed while the specific operation screen 44b is displayed, as shown in (c) and (d). This makes it possible to suggest to the player that the specific operation period will end unless a specific operation such as changing the volume is performed.

If the player still leaves the selection buttons 82, 83 unoperated, the specific operation screen 44b will be hidden before the left symbol stop screen 43d appears as shown in (e). This ensures that the player can see the all symbol stop screen 43e shown in (f) or the normal reach display screen 43f shown in (g) even if the player leaves the specific operation screen 44b displayed.

Next, the display mode when the decision button 81 and the selection buttons 82 and 83 are pressed during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation will be explained using FIG. 56. FIGS. 56(a) to (g) are diagrams explaining the display mode when the decision button 81 and the selection buttons 82 and 83 are pressed during a specific operation period during high-speed fluctuation.

As shown in (a), when the player presses the decision button 81 while the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is displayed, the specific operation screen 44b is displayed. As shown in (b), when the selection buttons 82 and 83 are operated while the specific operation screen 44b is displayed, a volume change is displayed in the change information display section 43c. When the player presses the decision button 81 in this state, the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is returned to at that timing as shown in (d). This allows the fluctuation display from the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c to the left pattern stop screen 43d shown in (e), the all pattern stop screen 43e shown in (f), or the normal reach screen 43f shown in (g) to be fully displayed.

If a specific operation is performed while the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is displayed, the setting may be such that the specific operation cannot be performed for a period of time after the specific operation has been performed once. This is because the high-speed fluctuation period is short, and even if the specific operation screen 44b is displayed again, there is a high possibility that there will not be enough time left to perform the specific operation. On the other hand, if a specific operation is performed while the round screen 43i is displayed, there is enough time left to perform the specific operation again, so the specific operation screen 44b may be displayed again.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the first embodiment,
When the game state transitions from a jackpot round game state to the next high probability/support state or low probability/support state, a jackpot ending presentation is executed in which an ending screen 43j is displayed on the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 from the end of the round game in the jackpot round game state to the start of the next high probability/support state, etc., and the display control device 45 performs processing of step S3241 in the jackpot ending processing;
During execution of the jackpot ending presentation, right-hit information during ending 44k, next game state approach information 44l, and ending countdown information 44v are displayed to indicate to the player that the timing to start a game state requiring a right hit, such as the next high probability/support state or low probability/support state, has not yet arrived, and the display control device 45 has the function of performing the processing of steps S3244 to S3251 in the jackpot ending processing.

According to this configuration, when the game state transitions from a jackpot round game state to the next high probability/support state or low probability/support state, the display control device 45 executes a jackpot ending effect in which an ending screen 43j is displayed on the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 in step S3241 during the jackpot ending process from the end of the round game in the jackpot round game state to the start of the next high probability/support state, etc. During the execution of this jackpot ending effect, the display control device 45 displays right-hit information during ending 44k, next game state approach information 44l, and ending countdown information 44v in step S3247 during the jackpot ending process, which indicate to the player that the start timing of a game state requiring a right hit, such as the next high probability/support state or low probability/support state, has not yet arrived. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is a jackpot round game state, in other words, that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is not yet the next high probability/support state, etc. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by mistakenly believing that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is the next next high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A1) above.

In addition, the big win round gaming state is a gaming state that is advantageous to the player,
The high probability/support state, etc. is a game state that is advantageous to the player and is different from the big win round game state, and is a game state in which the player can obtain advantageous game value by operating the game ball launching handle 18.
The right-hit information during ending 44k, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v are information that indicates to the player that the timing to start a high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived while the jackpot ending presentation is being executed.

According to this configuration, the next high probability/support state, etc., to which the player transitions from the jackpot round game state advantageous to the player is a game state that is advantageous to the player, and is a game state in which the player can acquire advantageous game value by operating the game ball launching handle 18 as a trigger. Therefore, the player is likely to operate the game ball launching handle 18 to acquire advantageous game value based on the mistaken belief that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is a high probability/support state, etc., but since this operation is performed during the jackpot round game state, the player cannot acquire this advantageous game value. However, during the execution of the jackpot ending performance, the right-hit information 44k during the ending, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v are notified to the player, which indicate that the start timing of the high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived, so that it is difficult to mistakenly believe that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is a high probability/support state, etc. In addition, it is possible to prevent the player from operating the game ball launch handle 18 under the mistaken belief that another advantageous game value can be acquired, and thus it is possible to reduce the number of wasted operations. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantages that arise from the mistaken belief that the current time when the big win ending performance is being performed is a high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A2) above.

In addition, the big win round game state is a game state in which a round game is played a predetermined number of times, with one round being the time from when the big win opening 32a of the variable winning device 32 is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of the big win lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 triggered by the ball entering the special winning device 1 starting winning device 33a or the special winning device 2 starting winning device 33b.
The jackpot ending presentation is a presentation at the end of a round game state in which a predetermined image is displayed on the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 from 3 seconds before the end of the ending period after the large prize opening 32a of the variable prize device 32 is closed in the final round of the jackpot round game state to the start of the next high probability/support state, etc.

According to this configuration, the jackpot round game state is a game state in which a predetermined number of round games are played, with one round being the time from when the large winning opening 32a of the variable winning device 32 is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of the jackpot lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 triggered by the ball entering the special winning device 1 start winning device 33a or the special winning device 2 start winning device 33b. The jackpot ending performance is a performance in which a predetermined image is displayed on the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 from the timing 3 seconds before the end of the ending period after the large winning opening 32a of the variable winning device 32 is closed in the final round of the jackpot round game state to the timing of the start of the next high probability/support state, etc. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantage caused by mistaking the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed for the next high probability/support state, etc. For example, it is the gaming machine described in (A3) above.

In addition, a ball entry means that changes between an open state where a game ball is easy to enter and a closed state where a game ball is difficult to enter, and the ball entry serves as a trigger for a big win lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261, and a special winning device 33b for special chart 2;
The game ball is a ball entry means into which the game ball enters, and the entry of the ball triggers a normal pattern lottery that activates a special pattern 2 start winning device 33b.
The high probability support state, etc., is a support game state that makes it easier for the result of the normal pattern lottery based on the ball entering the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b to be a winning result that activates the electric device of the special pattern 2 start winning device 33b,
The right-hit information during ending 44k, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v indicate to the player that the timing to start a high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived while the jackpot ending presentation is being executed.

According to this configuration, the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is a ball entry means that changes between an open state where the game ball is easy to enter and a closed state where the game ball is difficult to enter, and the ball entry triggers the big win lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261. The normal symbol start hole 34 is a ball entry means into which the game ball enters, and the ball entry triggers the normal symbol lottery that activates the electric device of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b. The high probability/support state, etc. are support game states that make it easier for the result of the normal symbol lottery based on the ball entry into the normal symbol start hole 34 to be a winning result that activates the electric device of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b. The right hit information 44k during the ending, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v suggest to the player that the start timing of the high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived during the execution of the big win ending performance. As a result, in order for the player to quickly place the game ball in the normal symbol starting hole 34 in a high probability/support state, etc., it is easy for the player to accidentally launch the game ball during the execution of the jackpot ending performance before transitioning to the high probability/support state, etc. In this regard, by looking at the next game state approach information 44l, etc. during the execution of the jackpot ending performance, it is possible to reduce the disadvantage caused by mistakenly determining that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is a high probability/support state, etc. For example, consider the gaming machine described above in (A4).

In addition, the high probability/support state is a gaming state in which the probability that the result of the jackpot lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 will be a jackpot result is higher than in a normal gaming state.
The right-hit information 44k during ending, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v indicate to the player that the timing to start the high probability/support state has not yet arrived while the jackpot ending performance is being executed.

According to this configuration, the high probability/support state is a gaming state in which the probability that the result of the jackpot lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 will result in a jackpot is higher than in the normal gaming state. The next gaming state approach information 44l, etc., indicates to the player that the timing to start the high probability/support state has not yet arrived while the jackpot ending performance is being executed. This makes it possible to reduce disadvantages caused by mistakenly believing that the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed is a high probability/support state. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A5) above.

The high probability/support state is a high probability game state with support in which the probability that the result of the big win lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 will be a big win result and the probability that the result of the operation lottery by the operation lottery means will be a specific result are higher than in a normal game state.
The right-hit information 44k during ending, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v indicate to the player that the timing to start the high probability/support state has not yet arrived while the jackpot ending presentation is being executed.

According to this configuration, the high probability/support state is a gaming state in which the probability that the result of the lottery by the lottery means will be a specific result and the probability that the result of the normal pattern lottery by the normal pattern starting hole 34 will be a winning result are higher than in the normal gaming state. The next gaming state approach information 44l, etc., indicates to the player that the timing to start the high probability/support state has not yet arrived while the jackpot ending performance is being executed. This makes it possible to reduce disadvantages caused by mistaking the current time when the jackpot ending performance is being executed for the high probability/support state. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A6) above.

In addition, the big win ending performance is a performance in which a plurality of types of images are continuously executed in a predetermined ending performance pattern,
When the result of the jackpot lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 is a jackpot result, the ending presentation pattern is displayed in a different pattern according to the type of the jackpot result.
The right-hit information during ending 44k, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v indicate to the player that the timing to start the next high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived until the multiple types of images have finished being executed consecutively in the ending presentation pattern.

According to this configuration, the big win ending performance is executed by consecutively executing a plurality of types of images in a predetermined ending performance pattern. When the result of the big win lottery in the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 is a big win result, the ending performance pattern is displayed in a different pattern according to the type of the big win result. Therefore, in the past, if a player mistakenly recognized that the end timing of the display time of a certain image (for example, an image showing manufacturer information) in the big win ending performance is the end timing of a series of big win ending performances, the player may mistakenly recognize that the display time of the subsequent image (for example, an image showing information to prevent forgetting to remove a card or an image showing information to prevent addiction) has been shifted to the next high probability/support state, etc., and may be disadvantaged by this. However, in the present invention, the next game state approach information 44l, etc., suggests to the player that the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived until the timing when the consecutive execution of a plurality of types of images in the ending performance pattern is completed. As a result, during the big win ending presentation, the next game state approach information 44l indicates that the timing to start the next game state has not yet arrived until the multiple types of images have been displayed in succession in a predetermined ending presentation pattern, thereby reducing the risk of suffering the above-mentioned disadvantages. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A7) above.

In addition, immediately after the end of the final round in the jackpot round gaming state, information may be displayed that suggests to the player that the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived. For example, immediately after the end of the final round in the jackpot round state, right-hit during round information 44h is replaced by right-hit during ending information 44k. During the period in which right-hit during ending information 44k is displayed, it is suggested to the player that the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived.

With this configuration, the right-hit information during ending 44k indicates to the player that the timing to start the next high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived immediately after the end of the final round in the round game state, so that it is possible to reduce disadvantages that arise as a result of the player mistakingly believing that the transition to the next high probability/support state, etc. has occurred immediately after the end of the final round in the round game state. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (A15).

In addition, information may be displayed at the same time as the big win ending performance is executed, suggesting to the player that the timing to start the next high probability, support state, etc. has not yet arrived. For example, right-hit information 44k during the ending suggests to the player that the timing to start the next high probability, support state, etc. has not yet arrived, at the same time as the big win ending performance is executed.

With this configuration, the right-hit-during-ending information 44k indicates to the player that the timing to start the next high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived at the same time as the big win ending performance is executed, so that it is possible to reduce disadvantages that arise as a result of the player mistakenly believing that the player is transitioning to the next gaming state at the same time as the big win ending performance is executed. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (A16).

In addition, the next game state approach information 44l indicates to the player that the timing to start the next high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived until a certain time has elapsed since the execution of the jackpot ending performance (3 seconds before the end of the ending period. For example, in the case of a 16R special jackpot (special 1) ending performance, this is 32 seconds after the start of the ending performance).

This configuration indicates to the player that the timing to start the next high probability/support state, etc. has not yet arrived when a jackpot ending performance is in progress and a predetermined time has elapsed since the performance. This reduces the disadvantages that arise as a result of the player mistakenly believing that the next high probability/support state, etc. will be entered after a predetermined time has elapsed since the performance of the jackpot ending performance, even though the jackpot ending performance is in progress. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A17) above.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the first embodiment,
a step S3221 process in the specific operation screen display process of the display control device 45, in which when the player operates the decision button 81 within a predetermined period (for example, the period from the start of the display of the high speed fluctuation screen 43c of the identification information fluctuation display to 5 seconds before the high speed fluctuation stops, or the period up to 3 seconds before the end of the ending period), a specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed so that at least the decision button 81 can be used to adjust the volume, and when the decision button 81 is operated outside the predetermined period during the display of the high speed fluctuation screen 43c of the identification information fluctuation display (for example, during the reach display period), the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is not displayed;
and processing of step S3308 in the specific operation period notification processing of the display control device 45, which notifies the player of specific operation period end approaching information 44e, which indicates to the player that the end timing of the displayable period of the specific operation screen 44b for volume adjustment has not yet arrived during a specified period.

According to this configuration, in the process of step S3221 in the specific operation screen display process, if the player operates the decision button 81 within a predetermined period (for example, the period from the start of the display of the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c of the identification information fluctuation display to 5 seconds before the high-speed fluctuation stops, or the period until 3 seconds before the end of the ending period), the display control device 45 displays at least the specific operation screen 44b for volume adjustment to allow the player to perform a volume adjustment operation using the decision button 81, and does not display the specific operation screen 44b for volume adjustment if the decision button 81 is operated outside the predetermined period (for example, the period after 3 seconds have passed since the end of the reach display period or the ending period). In the process of step S3308 in the specific operation period notification process, the display control device 45 notifies the player of the specific operation period end approach information 44e, which suggests to the player that the end timing of the displayable period of the specific operation screen 44b for volume adjustment has not arrived during the predetermined period. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the current time during which the identification information variation display is in progress is not yet the end of the period during which the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume can be displayed, in other words, that the current time during which the identification information variation display is in progress is the time when the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume can be displayed. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantages that arise from the mistaken belief that the current time is the time when the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume can be displayed. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B1) above.

The specific operation period end approaching information 44e also includes a specific operation possible period notification image (e.g., text information such as "Volume can be changed") that notifies the user that the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume can be displayed.

According to this configuration, the specific operation period end approaching information 44a includes a specific operation possible period notification image (e.g., text information such as "Volume can be changed") that notifies the player that this is the period during which the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume can be displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the specified period during which the high-speed changing screen 43c displaying the changing identification information is a period during which the volume adjustment operation can be performed. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B2) above.

In addition, when the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed within a predetermined period during which the high-speed changing screen 43c is displayed while displaying the changing identification information, a non-notification period may be set after which the specific operation period end approach information 44e is not notified.

According to this configuration, if the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed within a predetermined period during which the rapid fluctuation screen 43c is displayed while the identification information is fluctuating, a non-notification period is set during which the specific operation period end approaching information 44e is not notified. This reduces the possibility that the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is frequently displayed within the predetermined period during which the rapid fluctuation screen 43c is displayed while the identification information is fluctuating (i.e., the player performs an operation to display the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume), causing the player to be unable to fully see the identification information fluctuating display. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B4) above.

In addition, the specific operation period end approach information 44e may continue to be notified, for example, when the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed during the jackpot ending period.

According to such a configuration, the specific operation period end approach information 44e may be continuously notified, for example, if the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed during the big win ending period. If the big win ending period is extended, it becomes easier for the player to modify the content even after performing the specific operation that displays the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B5) above.

The specific operation period end approach information 44e is also displayed while the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed.

With this configuration, the specific operation period end approaching information 44e is displayed even while the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is being displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize the end timing of the displayable period of the specific operation screen 44b even when he or she is looking at the specific operation screen 44b after viewing the specific operation period end approaching information 44e and operating the decision button 81. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B6) above.

In addition, even while the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is displayed, the image being displayed for a specified period of time (e.g., the rapidly changing screen 43c) can be viewed.

With this configuration, the image being displayed during the specified period can be seen even while the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume is being displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize what the image being displayed during the specified period (e.g., the high-speed changing screen 43c) will be like even while the specific operation screen 44b is being displayed. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B7) above.

In addition, the specific operation period end approach information 44e can be displayed during the display period of the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c during the identification information fluctuation display period, but cannot be displayed after the display period of the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c has elapsed, even during the identification information fluctuation display period.

According to this configuration, the specific operation period end approach information 44e can be displayed during the display period of the high-speed changing screen 43c during the identification information changing display period, and cannot be displayed after the display period of the high-speed changing screen 43c has passed, even during the identification information changing display period. As a result, even during the identification information changing display period, the period after the high-speed changing period is when the player wants to see/see the information (display of the result of the changing display or reach performance), and therefore inconvenience caused by the specific operation screen 44b being displayed can be reduced. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (B8).

In addition, the specific operation period end approach information 44e can be displayed during the ending presentation in the jackpot round gaming state when the jackpot round gaming state transitions to the next high probability/support state, etc., and the specific operation screen 44b cannot be displayed in the next high probability/support state, etc.

According to this configuration, when the jackpot round gaming state transitions to the next high probability/support state, etc., and the specific operation screen 44b cannot be displayed in the next high probability/support state, etc., the specific operation period end approach information 44e can be displayed during the ending presentation in the jackpot round gaming state. This can reduce the inconvenience caused by the inability to adjust the volume after the jackpot round gaming state transitions to the next high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B9) above.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the first embodiment,
In the jackpot round game state, a right-hit notification is performed to notify the player that a game will be played by hitting the right hand. In this case, a step S3235 is performed in the jackpot opening round display process of the display control device 45.
A process of step S3265 in the high probability/support state transition display process of the display control device 45 or a process of step S3276 in the low probability/support state transition display process, which performs a right-hit notification to notify the player that a game will be played by right-hitting in the next high probability/support state or low probability/support state that occurs after the end of the jackpot round game state;
When a transition is made from a jackpot round game state to a next high probability/support state, etc., a jackpot ending presentation is executed to display ending information 44j on the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 from the end timing of the right-hit game in the jackpot round game state to the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc., comprising a process of step S3241 in the jackpot ending process of the display control device 45;
The display control device 45, in processing of step S3235 in the jackpot opening round display processing, issues a right-hit notification in a first state (e.g., enlarged displayed right-hit information during round 44h) during right-hit play in the jackpot round playing state, and in processing of step S3244 in the jackpot ending display processing, issues a right-hit notification in a second state (reduced displayed right-hit information during ending 44k) that has changed to a state different from the first state while the jackpot ending performance is being executed.

According to this configuration, the display control device 45 performs a right-hit notification to notify the player that a right-hit game will be played in the jackpot round game state in step S3235 in the jackpot opening round display process. The display control device 45 performs a right-hit notification to notify the player that a right-hit game will be played in the next high probability/support state, etc., that occurs after the end of the jackpot round game state in step S3265 in the high probability/support state transition display process or in step S3276 in the low probability/support state transition display process. In step S3241 in the jackpot ending process, when transitioning from the jackpot round game state to the next high probability/support state, etc., the display control device 45 executes a jackpot ending performance that displays ending information 44j on the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 from the end timing of the right-hit game in the jackpot round game state to the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. In step S3235 of the jackpot opening/round display process, the display control device 45 performs a right-hit notification in a first mode (enlarged display) during right-hit play in the jackpot round game state, and in step S3244 of the jackpot ending display process, performs a right-hit notification in a second mode (reduced display) that is changed to a mode different from the first mode during the execution of the jackpot ending performance. This makes it easier for the player to notice that the current time is not during right-hit play in the jackpot round game state, but during the execution of the jackpot ending performance, and that it is not the timing to execute the right-hit game, based on the difference in notification mode between the right-hit notification that is performed until the jackpot ending performance is executed in the jackpot round game state and the right-hit notification during the execution of the jackpot ending performance. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantage caused by mistaking the current time during the execution of the jackpot ending performance as the timing to execute the right-hit game. For example, the gaming machine described in (C1) above.

The jackpot round game state is a round game state in which a predetermined number of round games are played, with one round being the time from when the large prize opening 32a of the variable prize winning device 32 is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 being a jackpot result. The next high probability/support state, etc. is an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player and occurs after the jackpot round game state ends, based on the result of the jackpot lottery being a jackpot result. The jackpot ending performance is executed from the end timing of the final round in the jackpot round game state to the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc., when transitioning from the jackpot round game state to the high probability/support state, etc. The display control device 45 issues a right hit notification in the first mode (enlarged display of round right hit information 44h) during the jackpot round game, and issues a right hit notification in the second mode (reduced display of ending right hit information 44k) during the execution of the jackpot ending performance.

According to this configuration, the jackpot round game state is a round game state in which a predetermined number of round games are played, with one round being the time from when the large prize opening 32a of the variable prize winning device 32 is opened to when it is closed, based on the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 being a jackpot result. The next high probability/support state, etc. is an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player and occurs after the jackpot round game state ends, based on the result of the jackpot lottery being a jackpot result. The jackpot ending performance is executed from the end timing of the final round in the jackpot round game state to the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc., when transitioning from the jackpot round game state to the high probability/support state, etc. The display control device 45 performs a right hit notification in the first mode (enlarged display) during the jackpot round game, and performs a right hit notification in the second mode (reduced display) during the execution of the jackpot ending performance. This makes it easier for the player to realize that the current time is not during a jackpot round play but during the execution of a jackpot ending performance, and that it is not the right time to play a right hit game, because of the difference in the notification mode between the right hit notification during a jackpot round play and the right hit notification during the execution of a jackpot ending performance. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the disadvantage caused by mistaking the current time during the execution of a jackpot ending performance for the right hit play in a high probability/support state, etc. For example, the gaming machine described in (C2) above.

In addition, the right hit notification mode (second mode) in the jackpot ending performance is less noticeable to the player than the right hit notification mode (first mode) in the jackpot round game state. For example, right hit information 44k during the ending is displayed in a smaller size than right hit information 44h during the round.

According to this configuration, the mode of right-hit notification during the jackpot ending performance (second mode) is less noticeable to the player than the mode of right-hit notification during the jackpot round play state (first mode). This makes it difficult to recognize that the timing to play right-hit is when the jackpot ending performance is being executed, and therefore reduces the disadvantage caused by mistaking the current time during the execution of the jackpot ending performance for the timing to play right-hit in a high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (C4).

In addition, in the process of step S3247 in the jackpot ending display process, the display control device 45 performs a right hit notification in a third mode suggesting a return from the second mode to the first mode at the end of the jackpot ending presentation (for example, the period from 3 seconds before the end of the ending presentation to the end of the presentation). For example, it displays next game state approach information 44l with right hit information 44j flashing during the ending.

According to this configuration, in step S3247 of the jackpot ending display process, the display control device 45 issues a right-hit notification in the third mode, which suggests a return from the second mode to the first mode, at the end of the jackpot ending presentation (for example, the period from 3 seconds before the end of the ending presentation to the end itself). This makes it possible to quickly resume the right-hit notification when the jackpot ending presentation transitions to the next high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (C5) above.

The number of display patterns of the ending information 44j may be increased even more than in Example 1. Specifically, in this embodiment, the display pattern of the ending information 44j is made different depending on the type of win and the type of variation pattern. This will be explained with reference to Figs. 57 and 58. Fig. 57(a) is a table for drawing the big win for special chart 1 in Example 2, and (b) is a table for drawing the big win for special chart 2. Fig. 58 is a table for setting the ending performance pattern.

As shown in FIG. 57(a), in the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table, when the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "0" and "9", the decorative pattern is a 16R jackpot with a set of "7". When the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "10" and "39", the decorative pattern is an 8R jackpot with odd numbers excluding "7", such as "1", "3", "5", and "9". When the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "40" and "89", the decorative pattern is an 8R normal jackpot with even numbers, such as "2", "4", "6", and "8". When the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "90" and "99", the decorative pattern is a 2R jackpot with a set of "341". The 2R jackpot also comes with 100 support states.

As shown in (b), in the special chart 2 jackpot lottery table, when the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "0" and "19", the decorative pattern is a 16R jackpot with a set of "7". When the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "20" and "49", the decorative pattern is an 8R jackpot with odd numbers excluding "7", such as "1", "3", "5", and "9". When the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "50" and "89", the decorative pattern is an 8R normal jackpot with even numbers, such as "2", "4", "6", and "8". When the value of the jackpot pattern counter C2 is between "90" and "99", the decorative pattern is a 2R jackpot with a set of "341". The 2R jackpot also comes with 100 support states.

The display control device 45 determines the type of jackpot and the type of variation pattern based on the display variation pattern designation command and the stop display command received from the sub-control device 262. Note that the stop display command is a command converted from the decorative pattern designation command, and therefore contains information that identifies the type of jackpot.

As shown in FIG. 58, the ROM 522 of the display control device 45 stores an ending presentation pattern setting table that associates the jackpot type, the variation pattern type, and the ending presentation pattern. The correspondence between the jackpot type, the variation pattern type, and the ending presentation pattern will be explained. In the following, the case where the lottery result based on winning the start winning device 33a for special chart 1 is a jackpot is referred to as "Special 1", and the case where the lottery result based on winning the start winning device 33b for special chart 2 is a jackpot is referred to as "Special 2".

When the jackpot type is 16R probability change (special 1) and the fluctuation pattern type is Super Reach C, D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds), the ending time is preset to 35 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forget prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z are displayed in that order. This ending presentation pattern is the same as the ending presentation pattern described in Example 1 with reference to Figure 53. This ending presentation pattern is the presentation pattern that players will see most often in the case of a 16R probability change (special 1) jackpot.

The display time for the next game state suggestion information 44w is 10 seconds, the display time for the manufacturer information 44x is 5 seconds, the display time for the card removal prevention information 44y is 10 seconds, and the addiction prevention information 44z is 10 seconds. In FIG. 58, the next game state suggestion information 44w is abbreviated to "One more time" based on its display content, the manufacturer information 44x is abbreviated to "Logo" based on its display content, the card removal prevention information 44y is abbreviated to "Prepaid card" based on its display content, and the addiction prevention information 44z is abbreviated to "Enjoy in moderation" based on its display content.

When the jackpot type is 16R probability change (special 1) and the fluctuation pattern type is Super Reach A, B (fluctuation time: 30 seconds), a different ending presentation pattern from the above is adopted. That is, the pattern is that the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and bonus video 44n are displayed in that order. Bonus video 44n is an image that cannot be seen during a reach or jackpot round, and is an image that attracts the player's interest. Since it is rare for a 16R probability change (special 1) jackpot to occur in Super Reach A or B, the player's satisfaction can be increased by showing bonus video 44n instead of addiction prevention information 44z.

When the jackpot type is 16R special (Special 1) and the fluctuation pattern type is Super Reach E, F (fluctuation time: 120 seconds), an ending presentation pattern different from the above is adopted. That is, it is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and light-emitting staring prevention information 44o are displayed in that order. Light-emitting staring prevention information 44o is, for example, text information such as "Please be careful not to stare at a strong light for long periods of time" or an equivalent illustration. When a 16-variable (special 1) jackpot is reached with Super Reach E or F, the long fluctuation time, the display of a confrontation image that emits a strong light in the development reach performance, and the revival performance that flashes the screen (strong light flashing screen 43g-1 described with reference to FIG. 14) at the end of the development reach performance are accompanied by a strong strain on the player's eyes, so by showing the light-emitting gaze prevention information 44o instead of the addiction prevention information 44z, it is possible to make it easier for the player to take measures that take into consideration the strain on the eyes, such as stopping to gaze at the screen and resting their eyes while the light-emitting gaze prevention information 44o is displayed, or moving their face away from the screen more than before after the transition to the next game state. Note that in FIG. 58, the light-emitting gaze prevention information o is abbreviated to "strong light" based on its display content.

When the jackpot type is 16R probability change (Special 2) and the variation pattern type is Super Reach A, B, Super Reach C, D, Super Reach E, F, the ending presentation pattern is basically the same as the above-mentioned 16R probability change (Special 1) and Super Reach A, B, Super Reach C, D, Super Reach E, F, but the difference is that manufacturer information 44x is omitted. This makes it possible to show the player an ending presentation that takes into account the difference in the variation pattern type, even in the case of a Special 2 jackpot. Also, by omitting manufacturer information 44x from the ending presentation pattern in the case of a Special 2 jackpot, it is possible to reduce the time burden on the player when jackpots such as Special Chart 2 jackpots occur consecutively.

When the jackpot type is 8R probability (special 1) and the fluctuation pattern type is normal reach A, B (fluctuation time: 20 seconds), super reach A, B (fluctuation time: 30 seconds), super reach C, D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds), the ending time is preset to 25 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal prevention information 44y are displayed in that order.

When the jackpot type is 8R probability (Special 2) and the fluctuation pattern type is Normal Reach A, B (fluctuation time: 20 seconds), Super Reach A, B (fluctuation time: 30 seconds), Super Reach C, D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds), the ending time is preset to 20 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal prevention information 44y are displayed in that order.

When the jackpot type is 8R normal (special 1) and the fluctuation pattern type is normal reach A, B (fluctuation time: 20 seconds), super reach A, B (fluctuation time: 30 seconds), super reach C, D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds), the ending time is preset to 25 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal prevention information 44y are displayed in that order. In FIG. 58, the next game state suggestion information 44w is a text image of "Chance!", which suggests that the next game state is a low probability (normal) state, but that the support state will be attached 100 times, and is therefore abbreviated to "Chance".

When the jackpot type is 8R normal (special 2) and the fluctuation pattern type is normal reach A, B (fluctuation time: 20 seconds), super reach A, B (fluctuation time: 30 seconds), super reach C, D (fluctuation time: 60 seconds), the ending time is preset to 20 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal prevention information 44y are displayed in that order. In FIG. 58, the next game state suggestion information 44w is a text image of "See you again!", which suggests that the next game state is a low probability (normal) state and there is no support state, so it is abbreviated to "See you again".

When the jackpot type is 2R probability (special 1), the fluctuation pattern type is a pattern in which "341" is aligned without going through a reach (fluctuation time: 15 seconds), the ending time is preset to 5 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is, for example, a pattern in which only manufacturer information 44x is displayed. Even if manufacturer information 44x is displayed after the patterns are aligned to "341", it is difficult for the player to realize that this is a jackpot state, so it is possible to transition to a high probability/support state in a manner that makes it difficult for the player to realize.

When the jackpot type is 2R probability (Special 2), the fluctuation pattern type is a pattern in which "341" is completed without going through a reach (fluctuation time: 15 seconds), the ending time is predetermined to be 5 seconds, and the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which only the bonus information 44p is displayed. For example, in the case of a pachinko machine with settings, the bonus information 44p is a video or still image that suggests the current setting information. Regardless of whether the player realizes that they are in a jackpot state, if they can know the current setting information, they can enjoy the subsequent high probability/support state even more.

The 2R variable probability jackpot is a jackpot that transitions to a high probability/support state without informing the player of this fact, so the next game state suggestion information 44w is not set as an ending presentation pattern. Also, the opening time of the large prize opening 32a in each round of the 2R variable probability jackpot is set to a short time that makes it difficult for game balls to be released, so no prize balls are paid out, and so the card removal prevention information 44z is not set as an ending presentation pattern. Also, the fluctuation time of the 2R variable probability jackpot is short, so it is difficult for the player to become addicted to the game, so the addiction prevention information 44z is not set as an ending presentation pattern.

In this way, in this embodiment, it is possible to present the ending presentation that is predicted to be most appropriate for the player at that time, depending on the type of jackpot and the type of variation pattern.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the second embodiment,
The big win ending performance has a plurality of ending performance patterns formed by combining predetermined images from a plurality of types of images,
The ending presentation pattern differs depending on the type of the big win round game state.

According to this configuration, the big win ending performance has multiple ending performance patterns that are made up of a combination of predetermined images from multiple types of images, and the ending performance patterns differ depending on the type of big win round game state, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player depending on the type of big win round game state can be shown to the player as the big win ending performance. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A8) above.

In addition, the jackpot ending performance according to the jackpot round game state of a predetermined type (for example, 16R probability (special 1)) has a predetermined ending performance pattern in which multiple types (for example, four types) of images are combined in a predetermined combination,
For a big win ending presentation according to a big win round game state of another type (for example, 8R probability change (special 1)), another ending presentation pattern is formed by reducing one or more images from among a plurality of types of images included in a predetermined combination pattern.
In addition, for a jackpot ending presentation according to a jackpot round game state of another type (for example, 2R probability change (special 1)), a different ending presentation pattern is formed by reducing a plurality of images (for example, three types) from among the plurality of types of images included in a predetermined combination pattern.

According to this configuration, the jackpot ending presentation corresponding to a predetermined type of jackpot round game state has a predetermined combination pattern in which multiple types of images are combined in a predetermined combination, and the jackpot ending presentation corresponding to another type of jackpot round game state has a different combination pattern by removing one or more of the multiple types of images included in this predetermined combination pattern. This reduces the processing burden on the gaming machine when determining the jackpot ending presentation corresponding to the type of jackpot round game state. Also, since the combination pattern of the jackpot ending presentation is set for each type of jackpot round game state, it becomes easier to provide the player with a jackpot ending presentation associated with the type of jackpot round game state. For example, the gaming machine described in (A9) above.

In addition, the big win ending performance is a performance in which a plurality of types of images are executed in succession in a predetermined combination,
When the result of the big win lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 is a big win result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the type of the variation pattern corresponding to the big win result,
The right-hit information during ending 44k, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v indicate to the player that the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived until the timing when multiple types of images have been executed in succession in a specified combination has ended.

According to this configuration, the jackpot ending performance is performed by continuously executing multiple types of images in a predetermined combination. When the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 is a jackpot result, the predetermined combination is displayed in a different combination according to the type of variation pattern corresponding to the jackpot result. This reduces the disadvantage caused by the same jackpot ending performance being displayed when the same jackpot result as the jackpot result that generates a certain type of jackpot round game state is obtained, but the type of variation pattern leading to the jackpot result is different. In addition, the next game state approach information 44l, etc. indicates to the player that the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. has not arrived until the timing when the multiple types of images are continuously executed in a predetermined combination is completed, so that even if the same jackpot result is obtained but a different jackpot ending performance is displayed, the risk of suffering the above-mentioned disadvantage is reduced. For example, the gaming machine described above in (A10).

In addition, the big win ending performance has a plurality of ending performance patterns formed by combining predetermined images from a plurality of types of images,
The ending performance pattern differs depending on the length of time during which the identification information variable display performance based on the variable pattern is performed.
For example, in the case of a 2R probability variable jackpot, which clearly has a shorter fluctuation time than other jackpots, there is only one ending performance pattern, so the time is shorter than the ending performance of other jackpots.

According to this configuration, the big win ending performance has multiple ending performance patterns that are made up of a combination of predetermined images from multiple types of images, and the ending performance patterns differ depending on the length of time that the identification information variable display performance based on the variable pattern is performed, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player can be shown to the player as the big win ending performance depending on the length of time of the identification information variable display performance. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (A11) above.

In addition, the big win ending performance has a plurality of ending performance patterns formed by combining predetermined images from a plurality of types of images,
The ending presentation pattern differs according to the expectation of a big win result occurring in the identification information variation display presentation based on the variation pattern.
For example, in the case of Super Reach E or F, which has the highest probability of winning, the fluctuation time is the longest and is accompanied by intense blinking of the screen, so an ending performance pattern including light emission gaze prevention information 44o is displayed.

According to this configuration, the big win ending presentation has multiple ending presentation patterns that are made up of a combination of predetermined images from multiple types of images, and the ending presentation patterns differ depending on the expectation of a big win result occurring in the identification information variable display presentation based on the variation pattern, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player can be shown as the big win ending presentation to the player depending on the expectation of a big win result occurring in the identification information variable display presentation. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (A12).

In addition, the ending presentation pattern has a different combination of multiple types of images in the jackpot ending presentation depending on whether the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261, which is triggered by the ball entering the start-winning device 33a for special chart 1, is a jackpot result, or whether the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261, which is triggered by the ball entering the start-winning device 33b for special chart 2, is a jackpot result.
For example, the ending performance pattern of the special 1 big win includes the manufacturer information 44x, but the ending pattern of the special 2 big win does not include the manufacturer information 44x. Also, for example, in the case of an 8R normal big win, when the ball enters the special 2 start winning device 33b as a trigger, the support state is not attached, so the content of the next game state suggestion information 44w is made different from the case when the ball enters the special 1 start winning device 33a as a trigger.

With this configuration, the ending performance pattern has a different combination of multiple types of images in the jackpot ending performance depending on whether the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 triggered by the ball entering the special chart 1 start winning device 33a is a jackpot result, or the result of the jackpot lottery by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 triggered by the ball entering the special chart 2 start winning device 33b is a jackpot result. This makes it possible to show the player a combination of images that is preferred by the player as the jackpot ending performance depending on the difference in the trigger of the jackpot lottery. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (A14).

In the gaming machine of Example 2, the display pattern of the ending information 44j is made different depending on the type of win or the type of variation pattern, but the display pattern of the ending information 44j may be made different depending on other conditions. Specifically, in this example, the display pattern of the ending information 44j is made different depending on the situation leading up to the occurrence of the current jackpot. This will be explained with reference to Figures 59 and 60. Figure 59(a) is a table for drawing a jackpot for special chart 1 in Example 3, and (b) is a table for drawing a jackpot for special chart 2. Figure 60 is a table for setting an ending performance pattern.

In this embodiment, different ending presentation patterns are set depending on the situation leading up to the occurrence of the current jackpot (the jackpot occurrence situation). The jackpot occurrence situation is the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot, the type of the previous jackpot, etc.

The relationship between the winning type and the ending time will be explained. In the first embodiment, the ending time was set according to the winning type (whether it was a special chart 1 jackpot or a special chart 2 jackpot, and the number of jackpot rounds), but in this embodiment, the ending time only differs according to whether it was a special chart 1 jackpot or a special chart 2 jackpot. In other words, the ending time for a special chart 1 jackpot is 35 seconds for all 16R special chart jackpots, 8R special chart jackpots, and 8R normal jackpots. The ending time for a special chart 2 jackpot is 30 seconds for all 16R special chart jackpots, 8R special chart jackpots, and 8R normal jackpots.

Next, the relationship between the probability of the winning type and the number of electric support times will be explained. In Example 1, the probability of the winning type and the number of electric support times for the special chart 1 and special chart 2 probability of the winning type were 100 times, but in this example, the probability of the winning type and the number of electric support times for the special chart 1 and special chart 2 probability of the winning type are different in that they are limited to the next time.

When the jackpot type is 16R probability (special 1) and the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot is less than 100, the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal reminder information 44y, and bonus video 44n are displayed in that order. This can increase the satisfaction of having a jackpot with only a few changes since the previous jackpot.

When the jackpot type is 16R probability (special 1) and the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot is 100 or more but less than 200, the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forget prevention information 44y, and first addiction prevention information 44z1 are displayed in that order. The first addiction prevention information 44z1 is the same text information as the addiction prevention information 44z in Example 1, stating "Pachinko and pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation."

When the jackpot type is 16R probability change (special 1) and the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot is 200 or more, the ending presentation pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and second addiction prevention information 44z2 are displayed in that order. The second addiction prevention information 44z2 is text information such as "Pachinko and pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation. Please be careful not to get addicted" which appeals to the player more strongly than the first addiction prevention information 44z1 to prevent addiction, and an illustration appealing to prevent addiction.

When the jackpot type is 16R probability (special 2), the ending performance pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and bonus video 44n are displayed in this order, regardless of whether the previous jackpot was a 16R or 8R jackpot. The fact that the jackpot is a special chart 2 jackpot means that the jackpot was won during a high probability/support state or a low probability/support state. In other words, the jackpot may have been won without many fluctuations since the previous jackpot, and the jackpot may have been won without a significant reduction in the number of prize balls acquired in the previous jackpot. In addition, the prize balls acquired in the jackpot are unlikely to be less than those acquired in the previous jackpot. Therefore, in this situation, it is more interesting to increase the player's satisfaction by showing the bonus video 44n than to appeal to the player to prevent addiction.

When the jackpot type is 8R probability change (special 1), if the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot is less than 100, the ending performance pattern is displayed in the order of next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and bonus video 44n, as in the case of the above-mentioned 16R probability change (special 1). If the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot is 100 or more but less than 200, the first addiction prevention information 44z1 is displayed instead of the bonus video 44n, as in the case of the above-mentioned 16R probability change (special 1). If the number of changes from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot is 200 or more, the second addiction prevention information 44z2 is displayed instead of the first addiction prevention information 44z1, as in the case of the above-mentioned 16R probability change (special 1).

When the jackpot type is 8R probability (special 2) and the previous jackpot was 16R probability (special 1) (special 2), the ending presentation pattern is displayed in the order of next game state suggestion information 44w, card removal reminder information 44y, and bonus video 44n. This is because although the prize balls acquired in the current jackpot are less than the prize balls acquired in the previous jackpot, since 16 rounds' worth of prize balls were acquired in the previous jackpot, the player may still have balls to spare.

If the jackpot type is 8R probability (special 2), but the previous jackpot was 8R probability (special 1) (special 2) or 8R normal (special 1), the ending presentation pattern will be displayed in the order of next game state suggestion information 44w, card removal prevention information 44y, and first addiction prevention information 44z1. The prize balls acquired in this jackpot are the same as those acquired in the previous jackpot, but since the previous jackpot only acquired 8 rounds' worth of prize balls, there is a possibility that the player may not have enough balls to spare.

When the jackpot type is 8R normal (special 1), the ending performance pattern displayed is the same as when the jackpot type is 8R special (special 1).

When the jackpot type is 8R normal (Special 2), the ending presentation pattern is displayed in the order of next game state suggestion information 44w, card removal prevention information 44y, and second addiction prevention information 44z2, even if the previous jackpot was 16R special (Special 1) (Special 2), 8R special (Special 1) (Special 2), or 8R normal (Special 1). This is because, no matter which of the above jackpots the previous jackpot was, the player will be returned to a low probability/unsupported state after the jackpot, which means there is a possibility that the number of balls held will be significantly reduced.

In this way, in this embodiment, it is possible to present the ending presentation that is predicted to be most appropriate for the player at that time, based on the situation from the previous jackpot to the current jackpot.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the third embodiment,
The big win ending performance has a plurality of ending performance patterns formed by combining predetermined images from a plurality of types of images,
The ending presentation pattern differs depending on the number of times the identification information variable display presentation is executed from the occurrence of the previous big win round game state to the occurrence of the next big win round game state.

According to this configuration, the jackpot ending presentation has multiple ending presentation patterns that are made up of a combination of predetermined images from multiple types of images, and the ending presentation patterns differ depending on the number of times the identification information variable display presentation is executed from the occurrence of the previous jackpot round game state until the occurrence of the next jackpot round game state, so that a combination of images that is preferable to the player can be shown to the player as the jackpot ending presentation depending on the number of times the identification information variable display presentation is executed from the occurrence of the previous jackpot round game state until the occurrence of the next jackpot round game state. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (A13).

The gaming machine of Example 1 displays the specific operation period end approaching information 44e by flashing the specific operation period information 44a, but the specific operation period end approaching information 44e may be displayed in a manner different from that of Example 1. This will be described with reference to FIG. 61. FIGS. 61(a1)-(a3) are diagrams for explaining the display manner of the specific operation period end approaching information in Example 4, and (b1)-(b3) are diagrams for explaining a display manner different from (a1)-(a3).

Here, assume that this high-speed fluctuation is a complete miss and the fluctuation pattern has a fluctuation time of 20 seconds. The high-speed fluctuation time is 15 seconds, and only the specific operation period information 44a is displayed for the first 5 seconds, and then from 5 seconds to 15 seconds, the specific operation period end approach information 44e is displayed. After 15 seconds has passed, the high-speed fluctuation ends, so the specific operation period end approach information 44e disappears.

As shown in (a1), from the start of the fluctuation until 5 seconds, the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is displayed on the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42. Five seconds after the start of the fluctuation, the top right of the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c displays the first specific operation period end approaching information 44e1, which flashes the specific operation period information 44a, as in Example 1, as shown in (a2). At the same time, the second specific operation period end approaching information 44e2 is displayed in a different display mode from the first specific operation period end approaching information 44e1, informing the player that the end timing of the specific operation period is approaching.

Specifically, as shown in (a2), to the left of the first specific operation period end approach information 44e1, the second specific operation period end approach information 44e2 is displayed in text information such as "10 seconds left. Please change the volume quickly." Adding time information makes it easier for the player to understand. The high-speed fluctuation ends 15 seconds after the start of the fluctuation, and as shown in (a3), the left pattern stop screen 43d appears, and the first specific operation period end approach information 44e1 and the second specific operation period end approach information 44e2 are hidden.

This second specific operation period end approaching information 44e2 allows the player to clearly understand that the end of the specific operation period is approaching.

Next, we will explain other display modes with reference to (b1) to (b3).

As shown in (b1), the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 displays specific operation period information 44a in the upper right corner of the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c. This specific operation period information 44a is displayed as the third specific operation period end approaching information 44e3, which is displayed dimly as time passes, as shown in (b2). When the high-speed fluctuation approaches the end, the third specific operation period end approaching information 44e3 completely disappears on the left pattern stop screen 43d, as shown in (b3).

This third specific operation period end approaching information 44e3 allows the player to intuitively understand that the end of the specific operation period is approaching.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the fourth embodiment, the second specific operation period end approach information 44e2 includes the second specific operation period end approach information 44e2 (for example, a text image such as "10 seconds left. Please change the volume as soon as possible") indicating the remaining time of the displayable period of the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume. It is also possible to merely suggest, such as "Please change the volume as soon as possible", without including time information.

According to this configuration, the specific operation period end approaching information 44e includes second specific operation period end approaching information 44e2 (e.g., a text image such as "10 seconds left. Change the volume quickly" or "Change the volume quickly") that indicates (suggests) the remaining time during which the specific operation screen 44b for adjusting the volume can be displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize the remaining time during which a specific operation can be performed during a specified period during which the identification information is variably displayed. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (B3) above.

In the gaming machine according to Example 1, the right-hit during ending information 44k is displayed flashing at the end of the ending period as the next game state approaching information 44l, but the next game state approaching information 44l may be displayed in a different manner. This will be described with reference to FIG. 62. FIGS. 62(a1)-(a3) are diagrams for explaining the display manner of the next game state approaching information 44l in Example 5, and (b1)-(b3) are diagrams for explaining a display manner different from (a1)-(a3).

As shown in (a1), the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 displays an ending screen 43j at the same time that the addiction prevention information 44z is displayed. In the upper left corner of the ending screen 43j, right-hit information during the ending 44k is displayed, as in Example 1. This right-hit information during the ending 44k is displayed as the first next game state approach information 44l1 by flashing, as in Example 1, as shown in (a2).

At this time, to the right of the first next game state approaching information 44l1, second next game state approaching information 44l2 is displayed in a manner different from the first next game state approaching information 44l1, informing the player that the start timing of the next game state is approaching (in other words, the end timing of the current game state is approaching). Specifically, the second next game state approaching information 44l2 is text information such as "Not yet" that informs the player that it is not yet time to start hitting to the right in the next game state (high probability support state or low probability support state).

As shown in (a3), the first next game state approach information 44l1 and the second next game state approach information 44l2 are hidden when the screen switches to the high probability state screen 43k, where the next game state starts. On the high probability state screen 43k, right hit information 44m during high probability/support state is displayed to inform the player to hit right, instead of the first next game state approach information 44l1 and the second next game state approach information 44l2.

This second next game state approach information 44l2 allows the player to clearly understand that the start timing of the next game state is approaching.

Next, we will explain other display modes with reference to (b1) to (b3).

As shown in (b1), the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 displays the ending screen 43j at the timing when the addiction prevention information 44z is displayed, and the right hit during ending information 44k is displayed. As shown in (b2), the right hit during ending information 44k is displayed in a flashing manner as the first next game state approaching information 44l1. At this time, the third next game state approaching information 44l3, which is illustration information indicating that the next game state has not yet occurred, is displayed to the right of the first next game state approaching information 44l1. The third next game state approaching information 44l3 is an image showing an image of a hand stopping an arrow indicating a right hit, which was displayed as the right hit during ending information 44k (which is the first next game state approaching information 44l1 at the timing shown in (b2)).

When the ending period ends, as shown in (b3), the first next game state approach information 44l1 and the third next game state approach information 44l3 are hidden, and the high probability state screen 43k and the right hit information during high probability/support state 44m are displayed.

This third next game state approach information 44l3 allows the player to intuitively understand that the end of the ending period is approaching and that the start of the next game state is approaching.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the fifth embodiment,
The right-hit notification mode (second mode) in the big win ending performance is a mode that makes it more difficult for the player to perform a right-hit operation than the right-hit notification mode (first mode) in the big win round game state. For example, the second mode is the right-hit information during ending 44k indicated by the characters "right hit" and a right-facing arrow, and the first mode is the second next game state approach information 44l2 indicated by the character information "Not yet!" displayed near the right-hit information during ending 44k and an illustration that prevents right hitting. The character information "Not yet!" and the illustration that prevents right hitting can dissuade the player from performing a right hit operation.

According to this configuration, the right-hit notification mode (first mode) during the jackpot ending performance is a mode that makes it more difficult for the player to perform a right-hit operation than the right-hit notification mode (second mode) during the jackpot round play state. This makes it more difficult to recognize that the timing to perform a right-hit game is when the jackpot ending performance is being executed, and therefore reduces the disadvantages that arise from mistaking the current time during the execution of the jackpot ending performance for the timing to perform a right-hit game in a high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described above in (C3).

The next game state approaching information 44l may be displayed in a display manner different from that of Examples 1 and 5. Specifically, the next game state approaching information 44l with content different from that of Examples 1 and 5 is displayed. This will be described with reference to FIG. 63. FIGS. 63(a) to (e) are diagrams explaining the display manner of the next game state approaching information 441 in Example 6.

As shown in (a), the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 displays an ending screen 43j at the timing when the addiction prevention information 44z is displayed, and right-hit information during the ending 44k is displayed. Three seconds before the end of the ending period, the right-hit information during the ending 44k gradually expands as shown in (b) to be displayed as fourth next game state approaching information 44l4, which informs the player that the next game state (a game state requiring a right hit) is approaching. At the same time, to the right of the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4, a fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 is displayed, which counts down the time until the end of the ending period to inform the player that the start timing of the next game state is approaching. In (b), the number "3" is displayed in a circle to inform the player that there are three seconds until the start of the next game state.

As shown in (c), when one second has passed since (b), the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 is enlarged compared to the timing of (b). The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 displays the number "2" in a circle, indicating that two seconds remain.

As shown in (d), when one second has passed since (c), the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 is enlarged even more than at the timing of (b). The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 displays the number "1" in a circle, indicating that one second is remaining.

As shown in (e), when the ending period ends and the next high probability/support state begins, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 and the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 are hidden, and high probability/support state right hit information 44m, which is larger than the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 shown in (d), is displayed.

The fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 and the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 allow the player to more intuitively understand that the end of the ending period is approaching and the start of the next game state is approaching.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the sixth embodiment,
In addition, the display control device 45 performs a right hit notification in a third mode suggesting a return from the second mode to the first mode at the end of the big win ending performance (for example, the period from 3 seconds before the end of the ending performance to the end). For example, it displays a fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 that gradually enlarges the right hit information 44j during the ending. It also displays a fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 that counts down the time from 3 seconds before the end of the ending performance to the end.

According to this configuration, the display control device 45 issues a right-hit notification in the third mode, which suggests a return from the second mode to the first mode, at the end of the jackpot ending presentation (for example, the period from 3 seconds before the end of the ending presentation to the end itself). This makes it possible to quickly resume the right-hit notification when the jackpot ending presentation transitions to the next high probability/support state, etc. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (C5) above.

The next game state approach information 44l may be displayed in a display manner different from that of Examples 1, 5, and 6. Specifically, in this embodiment, the next game state approach information 44l is displayed continuously until a timing different from that of Examples 1, 5, and 6 so that the game ball launched based on the next game state approach information 441 can enter the game at the first opening timing of the electric role of the start winning device 33b for special chart 2 in the next high probability/support state, etc. Description will be given with reference to Figure 64. Figure 64 (a) to (f) are diagrams explaining the display manner of the next game state approach information 441 in Example 7.

As shown in (a), the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 displays an ending screen 43j at the timing when the addiction prevention information 44z is displayed, and right-hit information 44k during the ending is displayed.

During the big win round, many game balls pass through the normal symbol starting hole 34 by hitting the right hand side, so in (a), all four reserved lamps 41c that reserve the change of the normal symbol in the second symbol display device 41 indicate that there is a reserved ball. After the ending period ends, that is, at the same time as the next high probability/support state or low probability/support state occurs, the normal symbol starts to change. In the support state, the result of the lottery for the normal symbol is a winning result with almost all probability. If the first lottery for the normal symbol is a winning result, the timing of the first opening of the electric device of the special symbol 2 starting winning device 33b in the next high probability/support state, etc. is 5 seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state, etc. The time until the game ball launched by the right hitting operation enters the opening special symbol 2 starting winning device 33b is 4 seconds after the launch.

Here, assume that the display mode of the next game state approach information 441 is set so that the player hits to the right at the same time as the ending period ends, as in Examples 1, 5, and 6. The first game ball hit to the right at the same time as the ending period ends passes through the normal symbol starting hole 34, so the number of reserved normal symbols increases. However, because of the time relationship described above, this first game ball does not win in the special symbol 2 starting winning device 33b. In this sense, this first game ball is wasted. The wider the time interval in the time relationship described above, the more game balls will be wasted.

In this embodiment, the display timing of the next game state approach information 441 is delayed so that the first game ball will enter the special chart 2 start winning device 33b. That is, as shown in (b), the fourth next game state approach information 44l4 and the fifth next game state approach information 44l5 start to be displayed from the timing 2 seconds before the end of the ending period. Specifically, the fourth next game state approach information 44l4 is a display that gradually enlarges the ending right hit information 44k from this timing so that the reduced image showing the ending right hit information 44k becomes an enlarged image showing the high probability/support state right hit information 44m after 3 seconds. At this timing, the ending right hit information 44k is a quarter of the size of the high probability/support state right hit information 44m. The fifth next game state approach information 44l5 is a display that counts down the remaining time (3 seconds) from this timing until the resumption of right hit in the next high probability/support state. The fifth next game state approach information 44l5 is displayed as a circled number "3."

As shown in (c), one second before the end of the ending period, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 displays the right hit during ending information 44k enlarged to one-third the size of the right hit during high probability/support state information 44m. The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 displays the number "2" in a circle.

As shown in (d), at the start of the next high probability/support state, the fourth next game state approach information 44l4 is displayed as an enlarged display of the right hit during ending information 44k, which is two-thirds the size of the right hit during high probability/support state information 44m. The fifth next game state approach information 44l5 is displayed as a circled number "1."

As shown in (e), one second after the start of the next high probability/support state, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 displays the ending right hit information 44k enlarged to the same size as the high probability/support state right hit information 44m. In other words, the high probability/support state right hit information 44m is displayed in place of the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4. The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 has erased the circled text. In other words, the countdown has ended. At this point, the player begins the right hit operation.

As shown in (f), the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is displayed 5 seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state. At this time, the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is in an open state based on the fact that the first normal symbol lottery has been won. The game ball launched at the time of (e) reaches the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b 4 seconds later, that is, 5 seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state. In this way, after the player stops hitting the right during the ending period, the game ball launched first by the player wins the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b at the first opening timing of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b. This makes it possible to prevent the game ball launched first by the player from being wasted.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the seventh embodiment,
The display control device 45 displays a fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 (countdown information until the start timing of the right-hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc.) indicating that the start timing of the right-hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. is approaching.

According to this configuration, the display control device 45 notifies the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5, which indicates that the timing to start the right hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. is approaching. This makes it easier to grasp the timing to start the right hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by not being able to properly grasp the timing to start the right hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. An example is the gaming machine described in (C7) above.

The display control device 45 displays fifth next game state approach information 44l5 (countdown information) indicating that the timing to start the right-hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. is approaching from the big win ending performance to the next high probability/support state, etc. (the period from 2 seconds before the end of the big win ending performance to 1 second after the start of the next high probability/support state).

According to this configuration, the display control device 45 notifies the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 (countdown information) during the big win ending presentation, which indicates that the start timing of the next high probability/support state, etc. is approaching. This makes it easier to grasp the start timing of the right hit operation for the next game state. Therefore, it is possible to reduce disadvantages caused by not being able to properly grasp the start timing of the right hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. An example is the gaming machine described in (C8) above.

The next game state approach information 44l may be displayed at a different timing from that of Example 7. Specifically, in this embodiment, the next game state approach information 44l is displayed until a different timing from that of Example 7 so that the game ball launched based on the next game state approach information 441 before the end of the ending period can enter the game at the first opening timing of the electric role of the start winning device 33b for special chart 2 in the next high probability/support state, etc. The explanation will be made with reference to FIG. 65. FIG. 65 (a) to (f) are diagrams explaining the display mode of the next game state approach information 441 in Example 8.

As shown in (a), 6 seconds before the end of the ending period, the ending screen 43j displays addiction prevention information 44z and right-hit information during the ending 44k.

If the first normal symbol is selected as a winning symbol, the timing of the first opening of the electric device of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b in the next high probability/support state, etc., is set to be earlier than in Example 7, for example, 2 seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state, etc. The time it takes for the game ball launched by right-hit operation to enter the open special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is set to be 4 seconds after launch, the same as in Example 7.

In this embodiment, the timing of displaying the next game state approaching information 441 is brought forward compared to embodiment 7 so that the first game ball will enter the special chart 2 start winning device 33b. That is, as shown in (b), the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 and the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 start to be displayed 5 seconds before the end of the ending period. Specifically, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 starts to expand the right-hit during ending information 44k from this timing. The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 displays the number "3" in a circle as a countdown display from this timing.

As shown in (c), four seconds before the end of the ending period, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 expands the right hit during ending information 44k to one-third the size of the right hit during high probability/support state information 44m. The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 displays the number "2" in a circle as a countdown display.

As shown in (d), three seconds before the end of the ending period, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 expands the right hit during ending information 44k to two-thirds the size of the right hit during high probability/support state information 44m. The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 displays the number "1" in a circle as a countdown display.

As shown in (e), two seconds before the end of the ending period, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 expands the right hit during ending information 44k to the same size as the right hit during high probability and support state information 44m. In other words, the fourth next game state approaching information 44l4 is replaced with the right hit during high probability and support state information 44m. The fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 erases the circled characters, indicating the end of the countdown. At this point, the player begins the right hit operation.

As shown in (f), the high-speed fluctuation screen 43c is displayed two seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state. At this time, the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b is in an open state based on the fact that the first normal symbol lottery has been won. The game ball launched at the time of (e) reaches the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b four seconds later, that is, two seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state. In this way, after the player stops hitting to the right during the ending period, the game ball launched first by the player wins in the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b at the first opening timing of the special symbol 2 start winning device 33b.

As a result, even if the timing of the first opening of the electric device of the special chart 2 start winning device 33b in the next high probability/support state, etc. is earlier than in Example 7, for example, 2 seconds after the start of the next high probability/support state, etc., it is possible to prevent the first game ball fired by the player from going to waste.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of the eighth embodiment,
The display control device 45 notifies the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 (countdown information) indicating that the timing to start the right-hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. is approaching during the jackpot ending presentation (the period from 5 seconds before the end of the jackpot ending presentation to 2 seconds before the end).

According to this configuration, the display control device 45 notifies the fifth next game state approaching information 44l5 (countdown information) indicating that the timing to start the right hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. is approaching during the jackpot ending presentation (the period from 5 seconds before the end of the jackpot ending presentation to 2 seconds before the end). This allows the player to execute the right hit operation for the next high probability/support state, etc. at the appropriate timing during the jackpot ending presentation. For example, this is the gaming machine described in (C9) above.

This embodiment differs from the previous embodiments in that the sound output during the volume change operation is associated with the display effect. In addition, the display mode of the next game state approach information also differs from the previous embodiments. This point will be described with reference to FIG. 66. FIG. 66 is a diagram illustrating the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of the big win round game in Example 9.

In Example 1, the specific operation period information 44a is text information saying "Volume can be changed", and this text information functions as specific operation period end approaching information 44e that flashes as the ending time approaches. In this example, the specific operation period information 44a is text information saying "Volume can be changed by pressing the button during the ending", as shown in (b) to (g). The specific operation period end approaching information 44e is displayed as a seek bar or indicator image that indicates the elapsed time of the ending performance. As a result, when the seek bar or indicator image approaches the end time, it can be intuitively recognized that the end of the specific operation period is approaching (i.e., the start timing of the next game state is approaching).

In addition, in this embodiment, when the player presses any of the frame buttons 80, the screen switches from the ending screen 43j to the specific operation screen 44b. That is, the screen switches to the specific operation screen 44b not only by pressing the decision button 81, but also by pressing the left selection button 82 or the right selection button 83. In other words, during the ending performance, unlike during the reach display performance or the big win round display performance, the operation means such as the frame button 80 is not operated, so if any operation means is operated while the specific operation period information 44a is displayed, it is determined that a volume change operation has been performed, making it easier for the player to change the volume. Of course, if the gaming machine requires the player to hold their hand over a specified area of the display screen 42a instead of pressing the frame button 80 during the reach display performance or the big win round display performance, the screen may be switched to the specific operation screen 45b by holding their hand over the display screen 42a.

During the ending period from (b) to (g), for example, during the display period of the addiction prevention information 44z shown in (e), if any of the frame buttons 80 is pressed, the screen switches to the specific operation screen 44b as shown in (i). When the decision button 81 is pressed at the time of switching to the specific operation screen 44b, the addiction prevention information 44z "Pachinko and Pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation" is output in a voice at volume 3. As shown in (j), when either the left selection button 82 or the right selection button 83, which change the volume, is operated on this specific operation screen 44b, the sound output unit 24 outputs the addiction prevention information 44z "Pachinko and Pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation" at the changed volume. This voice is output at the changed volume every time the player presses the left selection button 82 or the right selection button 83 as a volume change operation.

As a result, after switching to the specific operation screen 44b, the player does not know what is being displayed as the ending information 44j at that time because the ending information 44j is hidden behind the specific operation screen 44b, but the player can change the volume while listening to the sound corresponding to the ending information 44j that will be displayed when the volume is changed. Therefore, even if a volume change operation is performed during the ending presentation period, the ending information 44j can be communicated to the player.

If the volume change operation occurs during the display period of the next game state approach information 44w, the sound "One more time" is output; if the volume change operation occurs during the display period of the manufacturer information 44x, the sound "SANYO" is output; and if the volume change operation occurs during the display period of the card removal prevention information 44y, the sound "Please be careful not to forget to remove your prepaid card" is output.

In addition, if the ending information 44j changes to different ending information 44j during a volume change (for example, if it changes from forgetting to remove card information 44y to addiction prevention information 44z), a sound corresponding to the changed ending information 44j (for example, a sound that says "Pachinko and pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation," which corresponds to addiction prevention information 44z) is output. This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound that corresponds to the ending information 44j that is being displayed at the time of the change operation.

If the display effect when the volume is changed is a previously determined display effect that cannot be associated (for example, a changing display effect that displays a rapidly changing screen 43c that cannot be output as sound), the sound is not related to the display effect (sound effects such as "volume 1, volume 2" or "beep, beep"). This makes it possible to prevent discomfort or inconvenience to the player by forcibly associating the display effect with an inappropriate display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a previously determined display effect that cannot be associated.

In addition, for example, addiction prevention information 44z may be faintly reflected behind the specific operation screen 44b. This reflection is to the extent that the characters of the addiction prevention information 44z are not recognized. For example, at least a part of it (for example, the outline of the display information in the case of addiction prevention information 44z) is displayed superimposed in a visible manner behind the specific operation screen 44b. Since the ending information 44j can be faintly confirmed while performing a volume change operation, the volume change operation can be performed with confidence without worrying that the ending display performance will end while performing a volume change operation.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of the present embodiment 9 includes a third symbol display device 42 capable of displaying a display performance, a sound output unit 24 that outputs sound in accordance with the display performance, a decision button 81, a left selection button 82, and a right selection button 83 that constitute a frame button 80 that can be operated by a player, and a sound output control device 46 that can change the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 24 based on the operation on the frame button 80. The sound output control device 46 can change the operation sound when changing the volume to a sound related to the ending display performance displayed during the period when the volume can be changed (for example, a sound such as "Pachinko and Pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation" corresponding to the addiction prevention information 44z). This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound related to the ending display performance when changing the volume, thereby improving the interest of the player in changing the volume. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D1).

In addition, if the ending display effect at the time of changing the volume changes to a different display effect (for example, if it changes from an ending display effect displaying information 44y to prevent forgetting to remove cards to an ending display effect displaying information 44z to prevent addiction), the operation sound is a sound related to the changed ending display effect (for example, a sound saying "Pachinko and pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation" corresponding to the addiction prevention information 44z). This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound related to the ending display effect being displayed at the time of the change operation, so that the optimal volume can be set at the time of the change operation. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D2).

The operation sound is a sound related to the display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a predetermined display effect that can be associated (for example, an ending display effect that displays information 44y to prevent forgetting to remove the card and information 44z to prevent addiction that can be output as sound), and is a sound that is not related to the display effect (sound effects such as "volume 1, volume 2" or "beep, beep") when the display effect when the volume is changed is a predetermined display effect that cannot be associated (for example, a changing display effect that displays high-speed changing screen 43c that cannot be output as sound). This makes it possible to prevent discomfort or inconvenience to the player by forcibly associating the display effect with an inappropriate display effect when the display effect when the volume is changed is a predetermined display effect that cannot be associated. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D3).

In addition, the image of the display effect displayed during the volume change operation is superimposed behind the image for the volume change operation in such a way that at least a portion of it (for example, the outline of the display information in the case of addiction prevention information 44z) is visible. This ensures a sufficient area for displaying the image for the volume change operation, making it easier to change the volume. Furthermore, since the player can check the display effect being displayed by the image superimposed behind while performing the volume change operation, the player can perform the volume change operation with peace of mind without worrying that the display effect will end during the volume change operation. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D6).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ending screen 43j (ending information 44j) was not displayed on the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42 while the specific operation screen 44b was being displayed, but in this embodiment, it is displayed. This point will be explained with reference to FIG. 67. FIG. 67 is a diagram explaining the display mode of the specific operation period after the end of the big win round play in embodiment 10.

Figures 67(a)-(h) are the same as Figure 66, so please refer to the explanation there for the common content. The display area for the ending information 44j is wider than that of Figure 66, and each piece of ending information 44j is displayed in the same display area.

Next, as shown in (i) and (j), when the player presses the frame button 80, the third symbol display device 42 displays the specific operation screen 44b. The specific operation screen 44b displays the ending information 44j, the change information display section 44c, and the operation method display section 44d. The ending information 44j is displayed in a part of the display area of the ending information 44j in the ending screen 43j, in a reduced size than when the ending screen 43j is displayed. For example, the addiction prevention information 44z is displayed as the addiction prevention information reduced display section 44z3, in which the text "Pachinko and Pachislot are games to be enjoyed in moderation" is reduced to a size that can be recognized by the player. The reduced ending information 44j, the change information display section 44c, and the operation method display section 44d are displayed in the display area of the ending information 44j in the ending screen 43j. In this way, by using a common display area for the ending screen 43j and the specific operation screen 44b, switching between the display areas becomes smoother, and the screen can be presented to the player in a cohesive manner.

In addition, in accordance with the volume change operation, audio corresponding to the ending information 44j is output at the changed volume. This allows the player to change the volume while watching the ending information 44j and listening to the audio corresponding to the ending information 44j. Furthermore, since the player can check the displayed ending information 44j in a reduced image while performing the volume change operation, the player can perform the volume change operation with peace of mind without worrying that the ending display performance will end while performing the volume change operation.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 10, the third pattern display device 42 can display the ending display effect (e.g., the reduced anti-addiction information display 44z3) and volume information (e.g., the change information display section 44c showing the volume) when changing the volume. This allows the player to change the volume while watching the ending display effect and listening to the sound related to the ending display effect, thereby improving the interest of the player in changing the volume. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D4).

In addition, the image of the ending display effect displayed during the volume change operation (e.g., reduced anti-addiction information display 44z3) is a reduced image compared to the image of the ending display effect displayed before the volume change operation (e.g., anti-addiction information 44z). This makes it easier to change the volume because the image of the ending display effect is reduced during the volume change operation. Furthermore, since the player can check the ending display effect being displayed in the reduced image while performing the volume change operation, the player can perform the volume change operation with peace of mind without worrying that the ending display effect will end during the volume change operation. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D5).

In Example 10, the ending information 44j was displayed in a reduced size, but in this embodiment, it is displayed in a different way. This will be described with reference to FIG. 68. FIG. 68 is a diagram illustrating the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of a big win round game in Example 10.

(a) to (h) are the same as in FIG. 66, so please refer to that explanation for the common content. Ending information 44j displays not only text information, but also corresponding illustration information, etc. Therefore, the display area of ending information 44j is wider than that of FIG. 66 and FIG. 67.

During the ending period from (b) to (g), for example during the display period of the addiction prevention information 44z shown in (e), if any of the frame buttons 80 is pressed, the screen switches to the specific operation screen 44b as shown in (i) and (j). When the volume change operation is performed, the third pattern display device 42 displays the ending information 44j and the change information display section 44c side by side and at approximately the same size. In other words, the display area of the ending information 44j before the volume change operation is divided into the display area of the ending information 44j after the volume change operation (e.g., the addiction prevention information split display section 44z4) and the display area of the change information display section 44c.

Specifically, the display area of the ending information 44j before the volume change operation is provided with a text information display area 44j1 in which text information is displayed in the upper half, and an illustration information display area 44j2 in which illustration information is displayed in the lower half. After the volume change operation, the text information display area 44j1 is left as is, and the illustration information display area 44j2 is switched to the changed information display section 44c. By dividing the display area of the ending information 44j in this way, the display area of the ending information 44j can continue to be used even if the screen changes. This makes the switching of the display area smoother and reduces eye fatigue for the player.

The reduced operation display section 44d is provided within the display area of the change information display section 44c. This allows the player to change the volume while watching the ending information 44j, which is arranged next to the change information display section 44c at approximately the same size, and while listening to the sound related to the ending display performance.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 11, the third pattern display device 42 can display the ending display effect (e.g., the addiction prevention information split display 44z4) and the volume information (e.g., the change information split display section 44c1 indicating the volume) side by side when changing the volume. This allows the player to change the volume while watching the ending display effect lined up next to the change information split display section 44c1 and listening to the sound related to the ending display effect, thereby improving the interest of the player in changing the volume. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D4).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the volume change operation was performed during the ending presentation, but it may also be performed during the big win round display presentation. This point will be explained with reference to FIG. 69. FIG. 69 is a diagram explaining the display mode of a specific operation period during a big win round play in embodiment 12.

In this embodiment, the specific operation period information 44a is text information stating "Volume can be changed by pressing and holding for 2 seconds or more." During the big win round display performance, a display performance that requires the operation of the frame button 80 is executed, so pressing and holding the frame button 80 for 2 seconds or more is adopted as a method that does not overlap with the operation of these frame buttons 80. If an operating means other than the frame button 80 is used, a different operating method is used.

The operation sound when changing the volume during the jackpot round display effect is a sound related to the jackpot round display effect displayed during the period when the volume can be changed (for example, the intro sound or chorus sound of the song being asked when a song title guessing quiz display effect is being executed during the jackpot round display effect). For example, as shown in (a), the round screen 43i displays "Take the quiz. If you get 50% or more correct, you can see a special video" as the round display effect 44h1. Next, as shown in (b), round quiz information 44h2 is displayed as the round display effect 44h1.

As shown in (b) and (c), the mid-round quiz information 44h2 is question information such as "Question 1: What is the title of this song?", option information such as "1. AAA, 2. BBB, 3. CCC", and mid-round operation information 44h3 indicating how to operate the frame button 80 in the quiz performance. The mid-round quiz operation information 44h3 indicates that a normal press (one press) of the decision button 81 will confirm the option, a normal press of the left selection button 82 will move the option down, and a normal press of the right selection button 83 will move the option up.

As shown in (d), when a predetermined time (e.g., 10 to 20 seconds) has elapsed since the mid-round quiz information 44h2, the mid-round quiz answer information 44h4 is displayed. The mid-round quiz answer information 44h4 indicates whether the option selected by the player is correct or incorrect. If the answer is incorrect, it is possible that the low volume is the cause, so as shown in (e), the mid-round volume change suggestion information 44h5 is displayed. The mid-round volume change suggestion information 44h5 is text information that encourages the player to change the volume, for example, by saying "Try changing the volume." After the mid-round volume change suggestion information 44h5 is displayed for a short period of time of about 3 seconds, the second question and onwards are displayed as shown in (f) and (i).

When the frame button 80 is pressed for 2 seconds or more, the screen switches to the specific operation screen 44b. In this embodiment, the specific operation screen 44b displays, as shown in (g), volume change suggestion information during the round 44h5, a reduced quiz information display section 44h6, and an operation method display section 44d showing volume operation. When a volume change operation is performed using the left selection button 82 or right selection button 83, the intro music or chorus sound corresponding to the quiz question is output at the changed volume, as shown in (h).

This allows the player to change the volume while listening to sounds related to the jackpot round display effect when performing a volume change operation, improving the interest of the player in changing the volume. Also, if the jackpot round display effect when the volume is changed changes to a different display effect (for example, if the display effect changes from the song that is the first question to the song that is the second question in a song title guessing quiz display effect), the operation sound is a sound related to the changed display effect (for example, the intro sound or chorus sound of the second song). This allows the player to change the volume while listening to sounds related to the jackpot round display effect that is displayed at the time of the change operation, making it possible to set the optimal volume when performing the change operation.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 12 includes a third symbol display device 42 capable of displaying the jackpot round display performance, a sound output unit 24 that outputs sound in accordance with the jackpot round display performance, a frame button 80 that can be operated by the player, and an audio output control device 46 that can change the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 24 based on the operation of the frame button 80. The audio output control device 46 can change the operation sound when changing the volume to a sound related to the jackpot round display performance displayed during the period when the volume can be changed (for example, when a song title guessing quiz display performance is being executed in the jackpot round display performance, the intro sound or chorus sound of the song to be played. This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound related to the jackpot round display performance when changing the volume, which improves the interest of the player in changing the volume. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D1).

In addition, if the jackpot round display effect changes to a different display effect when the volume is changed (for example, if the display effect of a song guessing quiz changes from the song that is the first question to the song that is the second question), the operation sound is a sound related to the changed display effect (for example, the intro sound or chorus sound of the second song). This allows the player to change the volume while listening to the sound related to the jackpot round display effect that is being displayed at the time of the change operation, so that the optimal volume can be set when the change operation is performed. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (D2).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, a volume change operation has been described as an example of a specific operation of the present invention, but the specific operation may be an operation other than a volume change operation, for example, a character selection operation in a duel-type reach display presentation. This point will be described with reference to FIG. 70. FIG. 70 is a diagram illustrating the display mode of the specific operation period during the reach display presentation in embodiment 13.

When the display performance displayed on the third pattern display device 42 transitions from a predetermined state to the next state, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes a transition display performance in which a predetermined image is displayed on the third pattern display device 42 from a predetermined timing of the predetermined state to a predetermined timing of the next state. Specifically, when the reach display performance displayed on the third pattern display device 42 transitions from a player's character selectable state of a battle-type reach development performance to a battle execution state of a battle-type reach development performance, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes a player's character selection performance in which a player's character selection performance image is displayed on the third pattern display device 42 as shown in (a) to (c) from the player's character selection start timing of the player's character selection state shown in (a) to the battle start timing of the battle execution state shown in (d).

The player character selection effect is a display effect in which the first player PY1, second player PY2, and third player PY3 are displayed as player characters selectable by the player, and each player is introduced in turn while issuing a message highlighting their own characteristics. Specifically, the player character selection effect first displays the first player PY1 issuing the first player information PYA of "decide with a bang" as shown in (a), then displays the second player PY2 issuing the second player information PYB of "decide quietly" as shown in (b), and finally displays the third player PY3 issuing the third player information PYC of "decide moderately" as shown in (c).

The first player information PYA suggests to the player that if the first player PY1 is selected, the subsequent reach display effects will have flashy lights, sounds, and movable parts. The second player information PYA indicates to the player that if the second player PY2 is selected, the subsequent reach display effects will have these effects quieter. The third player information PYC indicates to the player that if the third player PY3 is selected, the subsequent reach development display effects will have the balance of these effects moderately controlled.

The first player information PYA through the third player information PYC are displayed in order within the selection time. If the player does not perform a selection operation after the selection time has elapsed, as shown in (d), a battle reach with the enemy character TK is started using a character (e.g., the first player PY1) that is automatically selected by lottery within the gaming machine.

The CPU 521 of the display control device 45 notifies the player of upcoming information suggesting that the timing to start the next state has not arrived while the transition display performance is being executed. Specifically, as shown in (a) to (c), the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 notifies the player of specific operation period information 44a and specific operation period end approach information 44e suggesting that the timing to start the showdown execution state has not arrived while the transition display performance is being executed.

The specific operation period information 44a displays, for example, text information such as "Select player with button," indicating that pressing any of the frame buttons 80 will allow the player to select their own character in a duel-type reach. The specific operation period end proximity information 44e is displayed as a seek bar or indicator image indicating the remaining time for accepting operation of the frame buttons 80 for the player's character selection performance as a valid operation.

When the frame button 80 is operated effectively, the change information display section 44c is displayed as shown in (e), (f), and (h). The change information display section 44c displays the first player PY1, the second player PY2, and the third player PY3 that the player can select. The player operates the left selection button 82 and the right selection button 83 to select the desired character. The player is notified of the period during which the selection operation is possible by the specific operation period end proximity information 44e described above. After selecting the desired character, if the player waits until the start timing of the showdown reach, the showdown performance will start with the selected character. Alternatively, if the decision button 81 is operated, a waiting image such as "Please wait a moment" will be displayed, and then the showdown performance will start with the selected character.

This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the current time when the player's character selection display is being executed is a state in which the player's character can be selected; in other words, the current time when the player's character selection display is being executed is not yet the next battle execution state. This therefore reduces the disadvantages that arise from mistakenly believing that the current time when the player's character selection display is being executed is the next battle execution state (or that the timing for the start of the next battle execution state is immediately ahead) (for example, the disadvantage of selecting an unintended character and seeing a reach development display that is different from the player's preference).

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 13, when the game state transitions from a predetermined state (a state in which a player's character can be selected in a battle-type reach development presentation) to the next state (e.g., a battle execution state in a battle-type reach development presentation), the pachinko machine 10 is provided with an execution function of the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 which executes a transition display presentation (player's character selection presentation) that displays a player's character selection presentation image on the third pattern display device 42 from a predetermined timing of the player's character selection state (the player's character selection start timing) to a predetermined timing of the next battle execution state (e.g., the battle start timing), and a notification function of the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 which notifies the player of non-arrival suggestion information (e.g., specific operation period end approach information 44e indicating the remaining time of the player's character selection presentation) that suggests to the player that the start timing of the next battle execution state has not arrived during the execution of the player's character selection presentation. This makes it easier for the player to recognize that the current time when the player's character selection display is being executed is a state in which the player's character can be selected; in other words, the current time when the player's character selection display is being executed is not yet the next battle execution state. This therefore reduces the disadvantages that arise from mistakenly believing that the current time when the player's character selection display is being executed is the next battle execution state (or that the timing to start the next battle execution state is immediately ahead) (for example, the disadvantage of selecting an unintended character and seeing a reach development display that is different from the player's preference).

In the above-mentioned Example 13, the players PY displayed in the battle-type reach display performance were the first player PY1, the second player PY2, and the third player PY3 in a fixed pattern, but the players PY may change to different patterns depending on the results of the big win lottery. This point will be explained with reference to FIG. 71. FIG. 71 is a diagram explaining the display mode of a specific operation period during the reach display performance in Example 14.

When the display effect displayed on the third pattern display device 42 transitions from a predetermined state to the next state, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 executes a transition display effect in which multiple types of images are displayed successively in a predetermined combination on the third pattern display device 42 from a predetermined timing of the predetermined state to a predetermined timing of the next state. When the result of the jackpot lottery is a jackpot result, the predetermined combinations are displayed in different combinations depending on the type of jackpot result. When the result is a miss, the predetermined combinations are displayed in different combinations depending on the type of reach display effect that leads to the miss result. In other words, the transition display effect in this embodiment is displayed in different combinations depending on the type of jackpot result that the player is expected to achieve.

For example, in the case of a reach display effect that anticipates a normal jackpot, three players PY1 to PY3 are displayed in succession as in Example 13, and the first player information PYA to the third player information PYC are displayed in succession. In the case of a reach display effect that anticipates a special jackpot, four players PY1 to PY4 are displayed in succession, and the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD are displayed in succession. In addition, the display mode of a specific player may be different between the reach display effect that anticipates a normal jackpot and the reach display effect that anticipates a special jackpot.

The specific operation period end approach information 44e is a seek bar or indicator image that indicates to the player that the timing for starting the next competition execution state has not arrived until the timing when the execution of multiple types of images in succession in a predetermined combination is completed. The first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD are displayed in order within the selection time indicated by the specific operation period end approach information 44e.

As a result, during the player's character selection presentation, the specific operation period end approach information 44e indicates that the start timing of the next showdown execution state has not yet arrived until the multiple types of images have been displayed in succession in a predetermined combination, reducing the risk of suffering a disadvantage caused by mistaking the start timing of the next showdown execution state (or that the start timing of the next showdown execution state is immediately approaching) (for example, the disadvantage of seeing a reach development presentation that is different from the player's preference due to selecting an unintended character).

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 14, the player's character selection presentation involves a sequence of a predetermined combination of multiple types of images (e.g., the first player PY1 to the fourth player PY4, the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD), and the predetermined combinations are displayed in different combinations depending on the type of jackpot result that the player is expected to receive as a result of the jackpot lottery (e.g., in the case of a special jackpot, the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD are displayed, and in the case of a normal jackpot, the first player information PYA to the third player information PYC are displayed), and the specific operation period end proximity information 44e indicates to the player that the start timing of the next showdown execution state has not arrived until the sequence of a predetermined combination of multiple types of images has ended (e.g., in the case of a special jackpot, until the first player information PYA to the fourth player information PYD are displayed within the selected time, and in the case of a normal jackpot, until the first player information PYA to the third player information PYC are displayed within the selected time). As a result, during the player's character selection presentation, the specific operation period end approach information 44e indicates that the start timing of the next showdown execution state has not yet arrived until the timing at which multiple types of images are displayed in succession in a predetermined combination has ended, reducing the risk of suffering a disadvantage caused by mistaking the start timing of the next showdown execution state (or that the start timing of the next showdown execution state is immediately approaching) (for example, the disadvantage of seeing a reach development presentation that is different from the player's preference due to selecting an unintended character). This is an example of the gaming machine described in (A21).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, one pattern was determined for one type of big win ending display effect, but in this embodiment, a pattern that is displayed for a shorter time is determined for one type of big win ending display effect, which is different. This point will be explained with reference to FIG. 72. FIG. 72 is a diagram explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of the big win round game in embodiment 15.

After the end of the jackpot round game state shown in (a), the display control device 45 controls the display of the jackpot ending display performance in a predetermined pattern on the third symbol display device 42. In this embodiment, the jackpot round game state shown in (a) is a jackpot round game state of a special 1-character jackpot (16R), and the jackpot ending display performance is a pattern in which next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forget prevention information 44y, and bonus video 44n are displayed.

The predetermined patterns include a first pattern in which the predetermined display information (predetermined ending information 44j consisting of next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal forget prevention information 44y) is displayed for a predetermined display time (e.g., 25 seconds) and in a predetermined display mode (display order of next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal forget prevention information 44y), and a second pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j is displayed for a display time shorter than the predetermined display time (e.g., 10 seconds) and in a display mode different from the predetermined display mode. The first pattern is a pattern in which the information is displayed in the order shown in FIG. 66 of the above-mentioned Example 9. The second pattern is a pattern of the big win ending display performance shown in (b) and subsequent pages. Details of the second pattern will be described later.

In this way, in this embodiment, the big win ending display performance can be executed in a variety of variations in the display time and display mode for displaying the specified ending information 44j. As a result, the entertainment value of the big win ending display performance can be improved.

The first and second patterns may be selected internally by the gaming machine, for example, by a lottery held by the display control device 45 (a lottery held by obtaining random numbers based on the reception of a display variable pattern command). With this configuration, different patterns of ending presentations can be executed even for the same type of jackpot. Also, the player may be able to select whether the jackpot round display presentation will be executed in the first or second pattern at the beginning of the jackpot ending display presentation. With this configuration, the jackpot ending display presentation can be made closer to the player's preferences. Also, the jackpot ending display presentation may be executed in only the second pattern. With this configuration, a jackpot ending display presentation that has never been seen before can be shown to the player.

The second pattern will be explained in a little more detail. The first pattern is a pattern in which the above-mentioned predetermined ending information 44j is displayed in a predetermined order, and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j that was displayed in a predetermined order is displayed in a combined state (simultaneous display state in which the information is displayed simultaneously). Specifically, the second pattern is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal forget prevention information 44y that were displayed in order in the first pattern are displayed simultaneously as shown in (b).

This allows for an increased variety in the jackpot ending display effects without compromising the uniformity of the content of the jackpot ending display effects between the first and second patterns.

The length of the entire display period of the jackpot ending display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the entire display period of the jackpot ending display effect executed in the second pattern. Specifically, in the case of a 16R jackpot, the length of the entire display period is 35 seconds in both cases. As a result, in the jackpot ending display effect executed in the second pattern, by shortening the display time for displaying the above-mentioned specified ending information 44j, a new display effect can be executed by utilizing the surplus time generated before displaying the bonus video 44n displayed at the end of the jackpot ending display effect.

The new display effect is, for example, ending quiz display effect 44p1. In ending quiz display effect 44p1, text information "Take the quiz. If you get it right, you'll see a special video" is displayed as shown in (c). The quiz is displayed as ending quiz information 44p2 as shown in (d) to (f). Operations during the quiz are displayed as ending quiz operation information 44p3. These are the same as round quiz information 44p2 and round quiz operation information 44p3 shown in FIG. 69 of Example 12.

The time to answer the ending quiz is displayed as specific operation period end approach information 44e. If the player does not answer within the answer time, it is assumed that the player has selected a preset option, and it is determined whether the answer is correct or not. Whether the answer is correct or not is displayed as ending quiz answer information 44p4, as shown in (g) and (k). If the quiz is answered correctly, ending quiz correct answer bonus information 44p5 (special live music video) is displayed as a special bonus as bonus video 44n, and if the quiz is incorrect, ending quiz incorrect answer bonus information 44p7 (normal live music video) is displayed as a normal bonus.

When any of the frame buttons 80 is pressed and held during the quiz in accordance with the specific operation period information 44a ("Press and hold for 2 seconds or more to change the volume"), the ending quiz information 44p2 is reduced and displayed in the reduced ending quiz information display section 44p6, as shown in (i) and (j), and the change information display section 44c and the operation method display section 44d are also reduced and displayed, allowing the volume to be changed while watching the quiz. If the volume is changed during the quiz, the intro or chorus of the song being asked is output, as in Example 12.

In this way, the new display effects that can be displayed by executing the second pattern of big win round display effects allow for volume adjustment during the quiz, the content of the subsequent bonus video 44n changes depending on whether the quiz is answered correctly, and the content is related to the subsequent bonus video 44n. This makes it possible to increase the variety of ending display effects that will attract the player's interest.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 15 is equipped with a third symbol display device 42 capable of displaying a jackpot ending display performance related to a game, and a display control device 45 that controls the display of the jackpot ending display performance on the third symbol display device 42 in a predetermined pattern, and the predetermined pattern has a first pattern in which the predetermined display information (for example, predetermined ending information 44j consisting of next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal forget prevention information 44y) is displayed for a predetermined display time (for example, 25 seconds) and in a predetermined display mode (display order of next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal forget prevention information 44y), and a second pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j is displayed for a display time shorter than the predetermined display time (for example, 10 seconds) and in a display mode different from the predetermined display mode. This makes it possible to execute the jackpot ending display performance in various variations in which the display time and display mode for displaying the predetermined ending information 44j are different. As a result, the interest of the jackpot ending display performance can be improved. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (E1).

The first pattern is a pattern in which the above-mentioned predetermined ending information 44j is displayed in a predetermined order, and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j that was displayed in a predetermined order is displayed in a combined state (simultaneous display state in which the information is displayed simultaneously). This makes it possible to increase the variety of the jackpot ending display presentation without compromising the uniformity of the content of the jackpot ending display presentation between the first and second patterns. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (E3).

In addition, the length of the entire display period of the jackpot ending display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the entire display period of the jackpot ending display effect executed in the second pattern (for example, 35 seconds). As a result, in the jackpot ending display effect executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the above-mentioned predetermined ending information 44j is shortened, and a new display effect (quiz display effect during ending 44p1) can be executed using the surplus time generated before displaying the bonus video 44n displayed at the end of the jackpot ending display effect. This new display effect allows the volume to be adjusted during the quiz, the content of the subsequent bonus video 44n changes depending on whether the quiz is answered correctly or incorrectly, and the content is related to the subsequent bonus video 44n. This allows for an increase in the variety of ending display effects. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (E4).

The predetermined ending information 44j is ending presentation information after a jackpot round is played. This allows for an increased variety of ending presentations after a jackpot round is played. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (E5).

In the above-mentioned Example 15, new ending information (ending quiz display effect 44p1) was displayed before the last ending information to be displayed (bonus video 44n) by executing the second pattern of the jackpot round display effect, but in this example, the last ending information to be displayed (bonus video 44n) is changed to a longer version by executing the second pattern of the jackpot ending display effect. This point will be explained with reference to Figure 73. Figure 73 is a diagram explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of the jackpot round game in Example 16.

Specifically, by executing the second pattern of the big win ending display performance, as shown in (b), a predetermined ending information 44j (next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forget prevention information 44y) is displayed in a combined state for, for example, 10 seconds, and then, as shown in (c) to (h), the bonus video 44n is displayed for the remaining ending time (25 seconds). At the beginning of the bonus video 44n, the specific operation period information 44a is displayed. The specific operation period information 44a displays text information such as "You can change the volume, light intensity, and sound quality by pressing and holding during music." The specific operation period information 44a may be erased after being pressed and held. When the frame button 80 is pressed and held, as shown in (d), the bonus video n is reduced and displayed in the bonus video split display section 44n1, and a change information display section 44c is displayed that allows the user to select whether to change the volume, light intensity, sound quality, or "back." If the user selects the volume, a volume change information display section 44c1 that allows the user to change the volume is displayed as shown in (e) and (i). If light intensity is selected, a light intensity change information display section 44c2 that allows the light intensity to be changed is displayed as shown in (f) and (j). If sound quality is selected, a sound quality change information display section 44c3 that allows the sound quality to be changed is displayed as shown in (g) and (k). After changing the volume, light intensity, and sound quality by operating the left selection button 82 and the right selection button 83, pressing the decision button 81 returns to the change information display section 44c. If "Back" is selected in the change information display section 44c, the display returns to the state in which the bonus video 44n is displayed full screen as shown in (h). Note that it may be set so that the display returns to the state in which the bonus video 44n is displayed full screen when a predetermined number of seconds have elapsed after returning to the change information display section 44c.

In this way, in the jackpot ending display performance executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the specified ending information 44j is shortened, and the generated excess time is used to lengthen the display time of the bonus video 44n, and by making it possible to display the change information display section 44c for changing the volume, light intensity, and sound quality during the display time of the bonus video 44n, it is possible to increase the variety of display performances while ensuring a long period during which the volume, etc. can be adjusted.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 16, the display period of the big win ending display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the display period of the big win ending display effect executed in the second pattern. As a result, in the big win ending display effect executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the predetermined ending information 44j (for example, the ending countdown information 44v, the next game state suggestion information 44w, the card removal forget prevention information 44y) is shortened, and the display time of the bonus video 44n is lengthened by using the generated surplus time, and the change information display section 44c for changing the volume, light amount, and sound quality during the display time of the bonus video 44n can be displayed, so that the period during which the volume, etc. can be adjusted can be long, and the variety of the display effects can be increased. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (E4).

In the above-mentioned Examples 15 and 16, the big win ending display performance using the second pattern (composite display) was performed internally by the gaming machine, but in this example, the big win ending display performance using the second pattern (composite display) is performed based on the player's operation. This point will be explained with reference to FIG. 74. FIG. 74 is a diagram explaining the display mode of a specific operation period after the end of the big win round play in Example 17.

The display control device 45 controls the display of an operation request image that requests the player to operate the frame button 80 during the big win ending display performance shown in (b) to (f). Specifically, as shown in (b) and (c), the operation request image is specific operation period information 44a with the text information "Volume, light intensity, sound quality change acceptance time". The specific operation period information 44a is a seek bar or indicator image that indicates the elapsed time (remaining time) of the volume, etc. change acceptance time (10 seconds).

The display control device 45 controls the display of operation display effects (display effects for changing the volume, light intensity, and sound quality) using the frame button 80 during the jackpot ending display effect, triggered by the player's operation on the operation request image. If the player does not operate the frame button 80 on the operation request image, and if a special chart 1 certain jackpot (16R) is achieved by Super Reach C or D, the game will transition to the next game state after the display of the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z has ended.

The predetermined patterns include a first pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player does not operate on the operation request image, predetermined ending information 44j (for example, in the case of a special chart 1 guaranteed jackpot (16R) due to a Super Reach C or D, manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z) are displayed for a predetermined display time (for example, 25 seconds) and in a predetermined display manner (one by one in order), and a second pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player operates on the operation request image, this predetermined ending information 44j is displayed for a shorter display time (for example, 5 seconds) than the first pattern and in a display manner different from the first pattern (all at the same time), and a display effect for changing the volume, etc. is executed after the display of the predetermined ending information 44j has ended.

As a result, when the frame button 80 is effectively operated in response to the operation request image, the entertainment value of the big win ending display presentation can be improved by allowing the player to enjoy the change display presentation of the volume, etc., without significantly compromising the entertainment value of the big win ending display presentation.

The first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined ending information 44j (e.g., manufacturer information 44x, information to prevent forgetting to remove the card 44y, and information to prevent addiction 44z) is displayed in a predetermined order for a predetermined display time (e.g., 25 seconds), and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j that was displayed in a predetermined order is displayed in a composite state in which the predetermined display time is shortened (e.g., all at the same time for 5 seconds).

In detail, if the player operates the operation request image during the volume changeable time, the post-specific operation waiting information 44a3, which shows text information saying "Please wait a moment before operating to change the volume" as shown in (g), is displayed until the end of the volume changeable time. The predetermined ending display 44j displayed according to the second pattern is displayed after the display of the post-specific operation waiting information 44a3 has ended.

This allows for an increased variety of changes to the volume and other display effects without compromising the uniformity of the content of the jackpot ending display effects between the first and second patterns.

In addition, the display period of the big win ending display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the display period of the big win ending display effect executed in the second pattern (35 seconds). As a result, in the big win ending display effect executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the predetermined ending information 44j is shortened (to 5 seconds), and the generated surplus time (20 seconds) can be used to provide a period (10 seconds) for displaying the volume change operation effect and a period (10 seconds) for displaying the bonus video 44n. The period for displaying the volume change operation effect is displayed as specific operation period end approach information 44e with text information "volume, light amount, sound quality change possible time". The specific operation period end approach information 44e is a seek bar or indicator image that indicates the elapsed time (remaining time) of the volume change possible time (10 seconds). In this way, the variation of the volume change display effect can be increased while ensuring the period for adjusting the volume, etc.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 17 is equipped with a third pattern display device 42 that displays display effects related to the game including a big win ending display effect, a frame button 80 that can be operated by the player in response to the display effects, and a display control device 45 that controls the display of display effects on the third pattern display device 42, including displaying the big win ending display effect in a predetermined pattern. The display control device 45 has an operation request execution function that controls the display of an operation request image (specific operation period information 44a) that requests the player to operate the frame button 80 during the big win ending display effect, and an operation display effect control function that controls the display of an operation display effect (a display effect that changes the volume, light amount, and sound quality) using the frame button 80 during the big win ending display effect in response to the player's operation of the operation request image. The predetermined pattern has a first pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player does not perform an operation on the operation request image, the predetermined ending information 44j (e.g., manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z) is displayed for a predetermined display time (e.g., 25 seconds) and in a predetermined display mode (one by one in order), and a second pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player performs an operation on the specific operation period information 44a and the operation request image, the predetermined ending information 44j is displayed for a shorter display time (e.g., 5 seconds) than the first pattern and in a display mode different from the first pattern (all at the same time), and a change display performance of the volume, etc. is executed after the display of the predetermined ending information 44j is completed. As a result, when the frame button 80 is effectively operated on the operation request image, the interest of the big win ending display performance can be improved by enjoying the change display performance of the volume, etc. without significantly impairing the interest of the big win ending display performance. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F1).

The first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined ending information 44j (e.g., manufacturer information 44x, information to prevent forgetting to remove cards 44y, and information to prevent addiction 44z) is displayed in a predetermined order for a predetermined display time (e.g., 25 seconds), and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j that was displayed in a predetermined order is displayed in a composite state in which the predetermined display time is shortened (e.g., all at the same time for 5 seconds). This makes it possible to increase the variety of change display effects such as volume without compromising the uniformity of the content of the jackpot ending display effects between the first and second patterns. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F3).

In addition, the length of the display period of the jackpot ending display effect executed in the first pattern is the same as the length of the display period of the jackpot ending display effect executed in the second pattern. As a result, in the jackpot ending display effect executed in the second pattern, the display time for displaying the specified ending information 44j is shortened, and the generated surplus time can be used to secure a period in which the volume, etc. can be adjusted, and the variety of display effects for changing the volume, etc. can be increased. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F4).

The predetermined ending information 44j is ending presentation information after a big win round. This allows for an increased variety of changes to the display presentation, such as volume changes, that are performed during the ending presentation after a big win round. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F5).

In the above-mentioned Example 17, the big win round display performance according to the second pattern was a pattern in which the display time of the predetermined ending information 44j was shortened by simultaneously displaying the predetermined ending information 44j, but in this example, the difference is that the display time is shortened by a different display mode. This point will be described with reference to FIG. 75. FIG. 75 is a diagram explaining the display mode of the specific operation period after the end of the big win round game in Example 18.

The first pattern, as shown in (b) and (c), is a pattern in which predetermined ending information 44j (e.g., manufacturer information 44x, information to prevent forgetting to remove the card 44y, and information to prevent addiction 44z) is displayed in a predetermined order (one by one) for a predetermined display time (e.g., 25 seconds), and the second pattern, as shown in (f) to (h), is a pattern in which, when the player performs an operation in response to the operation request image, the predetermined ending information 44j is displayed in a shortened state in which the predetermined display time is shortened while maintaining the predetermined order.

In detail, in the second pattern, the predetermined ending information 44j is displayed in order for 5 seconds, one by one, in the form of manufacturer information 44x (1 second), card removal prevention information 44y (2 seconds), and addiction prevention information 44z (2 seconds).

This allows for an increased variety of display effects for changing volume, etc., without compromising the uniformity of the content and appearance of the display effects between the first and second patterns.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 18, the first pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j (e.g., manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z) is displayed in a predetermined order (one by one in order) for a predetermined display time (e.g., 25 seconds), and the second pattern is a pattern in which the predetermined ending information 44j is displayed in a shortened state in which the predetermined display time is shortened while keeping the predetermined order (e.g., manufacturer information 44x, card removal prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z are displayed in order for 5 seconds). This allows the variation of the change display performance, such as the volume, to be increased without compromising the uniformity of the content and appearance of the display performance between the first pattern and the second pattern. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F2).

In the above-mentioned Examples 17 and 18, the control according to the second pattern has been executed in the big win ending display performance, but the control according to the second pattern may be executed in other display performances, for example, in the reach display performance. This point will be explained with reference to Figs. 76 and 77. Fig. 76 is a diagram explaining the display mode in the specific operation period during the reach display performance in Example 19. Fig. 77 is a diagram explaining a display mode different from that in Fig. 76 in the specific operation period during the reach display performance.

First, refer to FIG. 76. The display control device 45 controls the display of the display effects, including the reach display effects displayed in a predetermined pattern, on the third pattern display device 42. As shown in (a), the third pattern display device 42 displays an advanced reach display screen 43g, and a showdown-type reach advanced effect is being executed in which the player's character PY and the enemy character TK face off against each other.

In the reach development performance of this embodiment, as shown in (b), a development reach suggestion image 43g2 is displayed, which suggests the possibility that the reach will be a hit. The development reach suggestion image 43g2 is a performance in which a frame with four hidden letters is displayed, and the letters are revealed one by one, suggesting in a predetermined manner the possibility that the reach will be a hit, for example, at the timing when the last letter is revealed (or at a timing before that). The predetermined manner is, for example, a manner in which the periphery of the letters is displayed in a color suggesting a hit (for example, the same color as the other letters if the expectation of a hit is low, red if the expectation of a hit is high, and rainbow if a hit is confirmed). To suggest this, the development reach suggestion image 43g2 displays text information such as "If a rainbow pattern appears, is it likely to win?" The development reach suggestion image 43g2 is a performance in which one letter is revealed every two seconds, so in normal cases, the performance time is eight seconds.

The display control device 45 controls the display of an operation request image that requests the player to operate the frame button 80 during the reach development performance. The operation request image is specific operation period information 44a that is displayed simultaneously with the display of the development reach suggestion image 43g2. The specific operation period information 44a displays text information such as "This performance will last 8 seconds. If you want to know sooner, press the button." It is suggested that by operating the frame button 80, it is possible to shorten this 8-second development reach suggestion performance and know the result. The operation of the frame button 80 has a valid period of 8 seconds during which the development reach suggestion image 43g2 changes. The elapsed time of the valid period of the frame button 80 is displayed by displaying specific operation period end approach information 44e simultaneously with the display of the specific operation period information 44a.

The display control device 45 controls the display of an operation display effect (fast-forward display effect) using the frame button 80 during a reach display effect, triggered by the player's operation of the frame button 80 in response to an operation request image. This allows the player to shorten the 8-second development reach suggestion effect and know the result.

This development reach suggestion effect is displayed in a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern has a first pattern that is displayed when an operation request image is displayed and the player does not perform an operation in response to the operation request image, and a second pattern that is displayed when an operation request image is displayed and the player performs an operation in response to the operation request image.

The first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined display information is displayed for a predetermined display time in a predetermined display mode. Specifically, the first pattern is a pattern in which the four characters that make up the development reach suggestion image 43g2, the first development reach suggestion information g2a, the second development reach suggestion information g2b, the third development reach suggestion information g2c, and the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d, are revealed one by one in sequence at two-second intervals (for a total of eight seconds).

The second pattern is a fast-forward display effect in which the specified display information is displayed for a shorter display time than the first pattern and in a different display mode than the first pattern, and the result display of the effect is displayed after the display of the specified display information has ended. Specifically, in the second pattern, the first development reach suggestion information g2a to the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d, which are the four characters that make up the development reach suggestion image 43g2, are displayed one by one at 1-second intervals (for a total of 4 seconds), and the result display of the fast-forward display effect is displayed when the display content of the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d is determined.

The first and second patterns will now be described in more detail.
In the first pattern, the first character's first development reach suggestion information g2a is revealed to be "ge" at 6 seconds remaining as shown in (c), the second character's second development reach suggestion information g2b is revealed to be "ki" at 4 seconds remaining as shown in (d), the third character's third development reach suggestion information g2c is revealed to be "a" at 2 seconds remaining as shown in (e), and the fourth character's fourth development reach suggestion information g2d is revealed to be "tsu" at 0 seconds remaining as shown in (f), ending with this pattern. If the pattern around the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d is rainbow colored as shown in (f), it is suggested that the expected probability of the relevant reach being a hit is extremely high.

After the rainbow color appears, as shown in (g), in the confrontation-type reach development performance, the attack image 43g4 that the player's character PY issues to the enemy character TK is displayed in rainbow color, suggesting a high probability of victory, and as shown in (h), the player's character PY wins, and a winning symbol is displayed in the reach development performance. On the other hand, as shown in (i), if the pattern around the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d is the same as the other characters, it is suggested that the expectation that the reach will be a winning one is not that high. In this case, as shown in (j), the attack image 43g4 is displayed in normal color, and as shown in (k), the player's character PY loses to the enemy character TK, and a losing symbol is displayed in the reach development performance in many cases.

See FIG. 77 for the second pattern. In the second pattern, the suggestive effect of the first pattern is fast-forwarded to 4 seconds. When the frame button 80 is pressed while the specific operation period information 44a is being displayed, the specific operation period end approaching information 44e changes from, for example, "8 seconds remaining" to "Fast-forwarding, 3 seconds remaining," indicating that the fast-forward effect has been selected.

At the timing of 3 seconds remaining as shown in (b), the first character, the first development reach suggestion information g2a "ge" is revealed, at the timing of 2 seconds remaining as shown in (c), the second character, the second development reach suggestion information g2b "ki" is revealed, at the timing of 1 second remaining as shown in (d), the third character, the third development reach suggestion information g2c "a" is revealed, and at the timing of 0 seconds remaining as shown in (e), the fourth character, the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d "tsu" is revealed and the game ends. In the second pattern of suggestion performance, the result is displayed earlier than in the first pattern of suggestion performance, so a bonus image that uses this extra time is inserted in the showdown-type reach development performance after the suggestion performance ends.

The bonus image is a defense image 43g5 in which the player's character PY defends against an attack by the enemy character TK, as shown in (f). When the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d is rainbow-colored, the defense image 43g5 is displayed in rainbow color, suggesting that the reach is sure to be a hit. In this case, the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d may be displayed in red, and the defense image 43g5 may be displayed in rainbow color for the first time, so that the timing of the player's surprise coincides with the display timing of this bonus image. After that, an attack image 43g4 (rainbow color) is displayed as shown in (g), and a winning symbol in the reach development performance is displayed stationary as shown in (h). On the other hand, as shown in (i), if the pattern around the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d is the same as the other characters, it is suggested that the expectation of the reach being a hit is not so high. In this case, as shown in (j), the defense image 43g5 is displayed in the normal color even in the bonus image, as shown in (k), the attack image 43g4 is displayed in the normal color, and as shown in (l), the player's character PY loses to the enemy character TK, and the losing symbol is often displayed in the reach development performance.

As a result, the interest of the reach display presentation can be improved by allowing the fast-forward display presentation to be enjoyed without significantly reducing the interest of the reach display presentation when the frame button 80 is effectively operated in response to the operation request image and when the frame button 80 is not operated.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 19 is provided with a third pattern display device 42 that displays display effects related to the game including a reach display effect, a frame button 80 that can be operated by the player in response to the display effect, and a display control device 45 that controls the display of display effects on the display means, including displaying the reach display effect in a predetermined pattern, and the display control device 45 is provided with an operation request execution function that controls the display of an operation request image (information during a specific operation period 44a) that requests the player to operate the frame button 80 during the reach display effect, and an operation display effect execution function that controls the display of an operation display effect (fast-forward display effect) using the frame button 80 during the reach display effect in response to the player's operation on the operation request image, and the predetermined pattern is a pattern in which an operation request image is displayed and and a second pattern in which, when an operation request image is displayed and the player performs an operation on the operation request image, the predetermined development reach suggestion image 43g2 is displayed for a shorter display time (for example, 4 seconds) than the first pattern and in a display mode different from the first pattern (for example, the first development reach suggestion information g2a to the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d are displayed one by one at 1 second intervals), and the result of the fast-forward display performance is displayed after the display of the predetermined development reach suggestion image 43g2 has ended. This makes it possible to improve the interest of the reach display presentation by allowing the player to enjoy the fast-forward display presentation without significantly compromising the interest of the reach display presentation when the frame button 80 is effectively operated in response to the operation request image. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F1).

The first pattern is a pattern in which predetermined development reach suggestion images 43g2 are displayed in a predetermined order for a predetermined display time (e.g., 8 seconds) (e.g., the first development reach suggestion information g2a to the fourth development reach suggestion information g2d are displayed in order at 2 second intervals), and the second pattern is a pattern in which predetermined development reach suggestion images 43g2 are displayed in a shortened state with the predetermined display time shortened (e.g., 1 second intervals for 4 seconds) while maintaining the predetermined order. This makes it possible to increase the variety of fast-forward display effects without compromising the uniformity of the content and presentation of the reach display effects between the first and second patterns. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F2).

The predetermined development reach suggestion image 43g2 is suggestion performance information (first development reach suggestion information g2a to fourth development reach suggestion image g2d) that is displayed during the reach development performance. This makes it possible to increase the variety of fast-forward display performances that are performed during the suggestion performances that are displayed during the reach development performance. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (F6).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the big win ending display effect was not connected in terms of its content to the reach display effect that led to that big win ending display effect, but in this embodiment, the reach display effect and the big win ending display effect are linked in terms of their content, which is different. This point will be explained using Figures 78 to 81.

Figure 78 (a) is a table for drawing the special chart 1 big win in Example 20, and (b) is a table for drawing the special chart 2 big win. Figure 79 is a table for selecting the special chart 1 main decorative pattern variation pattern in Example 20. Figure 80 is a table for determining the ending performance pattern in Example 20.

The display control device 45 can control the display of information related to a specific performance executed during a display performance in an ending performance. This allows the ending performance and the display performance leading up to the ending performance to be associated with each other through the specific performance, and the entertainment value of the display performance can be increased because the entertainment value of the ending performance continues through the specific performance.

The display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a variable display effect of identification information that makes it possible to identify whether the result of the lottery will be a specific result, for example, a variable display effect of the main decorative pattern SZ or the development pattern HZ. This makes it easier to remember the specific effect along with the variable display effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

The display effect in which the specific effect is executed is the reach display effect of the identification information, for example, the reach display effect of the main decorative pattern SZ or the development pattern HZ. This makes it easier to remember the specific effect along with the reach display effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

A specific effect is a specific suggestion effect that suggests that the possibility of a specific result is higher than if the specific effect is not executed. A specific suggestion effect is, for example, a confrontation effect between the player's character PY and the enemy character TK, or a mission clear effect by the player's character PY. This makes it easier for players who understand the meaning of the suggestion (that it has a lower occurrence rate than normal reaches A, B and super reaches A, B, and therefore is more likely to result in a hit when it does appear than normal reaches A, B and super reaches A, B) to remember the specific suggestion effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

As shown in FIG. 78, the special chart 1 jackpot lottery table and the special chart 2 jackpot lottery table are different from the above-mentioned embodiment in that in the case of a 16R special jackpot, the special jackpot continuation and the number of support rounds continue until the next jackpot. In other words, in this embodiment, the special jackpot continuation and the number of support rounds obtained by the 16R special jackpot are differentiated so that they are greater than other special jackpots (100 rounds).

As shown in FIG. 79, the table for selecting the main decorative pattern change pattern of the special chart 1 is set so that in the case of a 16R sure-variant jackpot (the jackpot pattern counter C2 is 0 to 9), the jackpot super reach E (120 seconds) is selected in all cases. The performance system of the super reach E is the battle system. In the case of an 8R sure-variant jackpot (the jackpot pattern counter C2 is 10 to 49), the super reach C or D is selected in all cases. The performance system of the super reach C or D is the battle system. In the case of an 8R normal jackpot (the jackpot pattern counter C2 is 50 to 99), the normal reach A or B or the super reach A or B is selected. In other words, in this embodiment, the reach performance that may result in a 16R sure-variant jackpot, the reach performance that may result in an 8R sure-variant jackpot, or the reach performance that may result in an 8R normal jackpot is distinguished by the type of reach performance. The table for selecting the main decorative pattern change pattern of the special chart 2 is similar.

As shown in FIG. 80, the ending presentation pattern determination table corresponds to the main decoration symbol variation pattern selection table described above. The ending presentation pattern of the 16R probability change (special 1) is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forget prevention information 44y, and light emission gaze prevention information 44o are displayed in sequence, and then EF victory rush entry information 44α1 is displayed as a special presentation. The EF victory rush entry information 44α1 is information that indicates to the player that this big win round game state has occurred through super reach E and F (by defeating enemy characters TKE and TKF, which will be described later), and that a rush presentation will begin in which the probability change will continue and the number of support times will continue until the next big win. Similarly, in the 16R special (special 2) mode, next game state suggestion information 44w, combined card removal prevention information 44y and light emission gaze prevention information 44o are displayed in sequence, followed by EF victory rush entry information 44α1. This makes it easier for the player to recognize the relationship between the reach display effect that generated the ending display effect and what kind of advantageous game state will occur from now on.

The ending presentation pattern of 8R probability change (special 1) is a pattern in which the composite information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and manufacturer information 44x, and the manufacturer information 44x are displayed in order, and then the CD rush entry information 44α2 is displayed. The CD rush entry information 44α2 is information that indicates to the player that this big win round game state occurred after passing through super reach C and D (by defeating the enemy characters TKC and TKD described later), and that a rush presentation with a probability change continuation and 100 support times will begin. Similarly, in 8R probability change (special 2), the composite information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and manufacturer information 44x is displayed, and then the CD rush entry information 44α2 is displayed. This makes it easier for the player to recognize the relationship between the reach display presentation that caused this ending display presentation and what kind of advantageous game state will occur from now on.

The ending performance pattern of 8R normal (special 1) based on normal reach A and B is a pattern in which the composite information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and the card removal forget prevention information 44y and the manufacturer information 44x are displayed in order, and then the chance mode entry information 44α3 is displayed. The ending performance pattern of 8R normal (special 1) based on super reach A and B is a pattern in which the composite information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and the card removal forget prevention information 44y and the manufacturer information 44x are displayed in order, and then the chance mode entry information 44α3 is displayed. The chance mode entry information 44α3 is information that suggests to the player that a chance performance with 100 support times will start. In addition, in the ending performance pattern of 8R normal (special 1) based on super reach A and B, mission clear mode entry information indicating that the mission performance in super reach A and B has been cleared may be displayed instead of the chance mode entry information 44α3.

Next, referring to Figure 81, the display mode of the third pattern display device 42 will be explained.
FIG. 81 is a diagram explaining the display mode from the reach display effect to the big win round display effect.

The display control device 45 executes a specific effect during the reach development effect, for example, in the case of Super Reach C, a confrontation effect between the player's character PY and the enemy character TKC, in the case of Super Reach D, a confrontation effect between the player's character PY and the enemy character TKD, in the case of Super Reach E, a confrontation effect between the player's character PY and the enemy character TKE, and in the case of Super Reach F, a confrontation effect between the player's character PY and the enemy character TKF. Here, a big win super reach E is determined as the reach development effect, and as a result of the confrontation between the player's character PY and the enemy character TKE, an effect in which the player's character PY wins is executed as the specific effect.

As shown in (a), the display control device 45 controls the display of a selection request image that requests the player to make a predetermined selection (selection of the player's character PY) during the reach development performance. As in the above-mentioned Example 13, there are three types of player characters PY: first character PY1, second character PY2, and third character PY3. The selection request image is specific operation period information 44a ("Push and hold to change player"). The player's character PY can be selected by deciding on the first character PY1 without operating the frame button 80 in the current state (remaining as the first character PY1), or by operating the frame button 80 to change to the second character PY2 or third character PY3.

As shown in (b), it is assumed that the first character PY1 is selected as a result of the selection of the player's character PY. The performance of a showdown between the player's character PY and the enemy character TKE is executed when the player's character PY is selected as requested by the selection request image. This makes it easier to remember the specific performance as well as the fact that a specific selection has been made as requested by the operation request image, thereby improving the interest of the ending performance.

As a result of the battle performance, as shown in (c), the player's character PY (first character PY1) wins against the enemy character TKE, and the development symbols HZ are displayed as a "777" jackpot combination. After that, as shown in (d), after the 16R jackpot round play ends, the jackpot ending performance begins.

The display control device 45 is capable of controlling the display of information related to the specific performance executed during the reach development performance in the ending performance. The information related to the specific performance is EF victory rush entry information 44α1 if it is either jackpot super reach E or F, and is CD victory rush entry information 44α2 if it is either jackpot super reach C or D. This associates the ending performance with the display performance leading up to the ending performance through the specific performance, and the entertainment value of the display performance continues into the ending performance through the specific performance, thereby improving the entertainment value of the ending performance.

The big win ending performance is a pattern in which the next game state suggestion information 44w shown in (e), the manufacturer information 44x shown in (f), and the combined information of the card removal prevention information 44y and the light emission gaze prevention information 44o shown in (g) are displayed in order, and then the EF victory rush entry information 44α1 shown in (h) is displayed. The EF victory rush entry information 44α1 is displayed as text information such as "Enter the rush after your own character A defeats the enemy character E!". When the display of the EF victory rush entry information 44α1 ends as shown in (i), the high probability state screen 43k is displayed as shown in (j), and the state transitions to the "rush after your own character A defeats the enemy character E" state in which the high probability and support state continues until the next big win. Note that your own character A refers to the first character PY1.

The information related to the specific effect (EF victory rush entry information 44α1) is information indicating the components of the specific effect, for example, "Enter rush after player's character A defeats enemy character E!" indicating the components of the confrontation effect between player's character PY1 and enemy character TKE, but it may also be information indicating the player's character selected by the player, "Enter rush after player's character A wins!", information indicating the enemy character selected as the player's opponent, "Enter rush after defeating enemy character E!", or information indicating that a confrontation reach has been reached, "Enter rush after breaking through EF confrontation zone!". These also make it easier to remember the displayed effects by displaying the components of the specific effect, further increasing the interest of the ending effect.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 20 is equipped with a third symbol display device 42 capable of displaying a display effect triggered by a lottery based on the establishment of a start condition, and a display control device 45 that controls the display of the display effect on the third symbol display device 42. The display control device 45 has a specific effect execution function that controls the execution of a specific effect during the display effect, and a round that is executed a predetermined number of times, with one round being from when the variable winning device 32 is set to an open state in which a game ball can enter the game ball, to when it is set to a closed state in which a game ball cannot enter the game ball, based on the result of the lottery being a specific result. and an ending performance execution function that controls the display of an ending performance that displays predetermined information during the ending period from the end of a round game to the start of the next game, and the ending performance execution function can control the display of information (EF victory rush entry information 44α1, CD victory rush entry information 44α2) related to a specific performance (for example, a confrontation performance between the player's character PY and specific enemy characters TKC, TKD, TKE, TKF) executed during a display performance (for example, a reach development performance) in the ending performance. This allows the ending performance and the display performance leading up to the ending performance to be associated by the specific performance, and the fun of the display performance continues into the ending performance through the specific performance, improving the interest of the ending performance.

In addition, the information related to the special effects is information that indicates the components of the special effects (for example, information such as "After your character A defeats enemy character E, a rush begins!" that indicates the components of the confrontation effect between your character PY and enemy character TKE). By displaying the components of the special effects, it becomes easier to remember the displayed effects, which further increases the interest of the ending effects. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G2).

The display effect in which the special effect is executed is a variable display effect of identification information (for example, a variable display effect of the main decorative pattern SZ or the development pattern HZ) that makes it possible to identify whether the result of the lottery will be a special result or not. This makes it easier to remember the special effect along with the variable display effect, improving the interest of the ending effect. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G4).

The display effect in which the specific effect is executed is a reach display effect of the identification information (for example, a reach display effect of the main decorative pattern SZ or the development pattern HZ). This makes it easier to remember the specific effect along with the reach display effect, which can increase the interest of the ending effect. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G5).

The specific performance is a specific suggestion performance (for example, a confrontation performance between the player's character PY and specific enemy characters TKC, TKD, TKE, and TKF) that suggests that the possibility of a specific result is higher than if the specific performance is not executed. This makes it easier for players who understand the meaning of the suggestion to remember the specific suggestion performance, thereby increasing the interest of the ending performance. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G7).

The display control device 45 also has a selection request execution function that controls the display of a selection request image (specific operation period information 44a) that requests the player to make a specified selection during the display performance (either select the current status without operating the frame button 80, or select a changed version by operating the frame button 80), and the specific performance is executed when the specified selection requested by the selection request image is made. This makes it easier to remember the specific performance along with the fact that the specified selection requested by the operation request image has been made, thereby improving the interest of the ending performance. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G9).

The selection request image is displayed during the variable display performance of the identification information that makes it possible to identify whether the result of the lottery will be a specific result (during the reach development performance using the development pattern HZ). This makes it easier to leave a strong impression of the specific performance along with the variable display performance, improving the interest of the ending performance. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G10).

In the above-mentioned Example 20, the display of a specific reach display effect as a specific effect executed during the display effect was reviewed (played back) in the big win ending display effect, but it is also possible to review an effect other than the specific reach display effect. This point will be explained with reference to Figures 82 to 85.

Figure 82 is a flowchart explaining the auxiliary performance determination process by the display control device 45 of Example 21. Figure 83 (a) is a flowchart explaining the one-shot announcement lottery process by the display control device 45, and (b) is a flowchart explaining the one-shot announcement display process by the display control device 45. Figures 84 (a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the ending performance pattern determination table.

In this embodiment, the specific effect is a specific notification effect that notifies the player that the possibility of a specific result is higher than if the specific effect is not executed. The specific notification effect is, for example, a one-shot notification effect that is produced by activating a one-shot notification device IP arranged around the third pattern display device 42 and causing it to appear in front of the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42. This makes it easier for players who see, hear, or experience the notification to remember the specific notification effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

The specific notification effect may be an effect that causes the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42 to emit strong light, so long as it is an effect that notifies the player that a specific result is more likely to occur than if the specific effect is not executed. Also, the specific notification effect may be an effect in which a specific pattern that is normally difficult to see, formed on a transparent light guide plate arranged in front of the display screen 42a of the third pattern display device 42, is displayed as a visible pattern by emitting light from an LED arranged on the side of the transparent light guide plate. Also, the specific notification effect may be an effect in which a specific image appears during a reach display effect, or an effect in which an image displayed during a reach display effect changes to a specific form.

The auxiliary performance determination process will now be described. As shown in FIG. 82, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 performs a process of displaying various suggestive images in step S3401. The CPU 521 of the display control device 45 performs a one-shot announcement lottery process (described later) in step S3402, and performs a one-shot announcement display process (described later) in step S3403.

The one-shot announcement lottery process will be described. As shown in FIG. 83(a), the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 determines whether or not a jackpot fluctuation pattern command has been received in step S3411. Specifically, if a display jackpot fluctuation pattern designation command has been received from the sub-control device 262, the process proceeds to step S3412, and if not, the process ends. In step S3412, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 reads the value of the one-shot announcement lottery counter for internally determining whether or not to execute a one-shot announcement in the event of a jackpot result, and in step S3413, determines whether or not the value is a win for the execution of the one-shot announcement performance. If the one-shot announcement performance is a win, the process proceeds to step S3414, where the one-shot announcement flag is set from 0 to 1. If the one-shot announcement flag is not a win, the process ends with the one-shot announcement flag set to 0.

The one-shot notification display process will be described. As shown in FIG. 83(b), in step S3421, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 judges whether the one-shot notification flag is 1 or not. If the one-shot notification flag is 1, the process proceeds to step S3422, and if not, the process ends. In step S3422, the CPU 521 of the display control device 45 judges whether the one-shot notification is set. If the one-shot notification is set, the process proceeds to step S3423, where a one-shot notification effect is executed at a predetermined timing, and after the one-shot notification effect is executed, the process returns the one-shot notification flag from 1 to 0 in step S3424, and the process ends. On the other hand, if the one-shot notification is not set, the process proceeds to step S3424, where the one-shot notification flag is returned from 1 to 0, and the process ends. The setting of whether or not to have a one-shot notification may be selected by the player as described later, or may be selected within the gaming machine. If the player can select it, the player's preference for the one-shot notification can be reflected. If the selection could be made within the gaming machine, it would be possible to reduce the disadvantages that would be caused by the player continuing to watch the one-shot announcement (strained eyes, lack of interest in anything other than the one-shot announcement) or the disadvantages that would be caused by not continuing to watch the one-shot announcement (lack of excitement due to the one-shot announcement).

The table for determining ending performance patterns will now be described. Figure 84 (a) shows the contents of the table for determining ending performance patterns shown in Figure 58 that correspond to 16R special (special 1), and (b) shows the contents of the table for determining ending performance patterns shown in Figure 58 that correspond to 8R special (special 1). The following explanation also applies to the other cases.

When the jackpot super reach A or B shown in (a) is executed and the one-shot notification is set to none, the jackpot ending display performance is the same as the case shown in FIG. 58, in which the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forget prevention information 44y, and bonus video 44n are displayed in that order. When the jackpot super reach A or B is executed and the one-shot notification is set to yes, the jackpot ending display performance is the combined information of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and the one-shot notification performance change suggestion information 44γ, the manufacturer information 44x, the combined information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal forget prevention information 44y, and the bonus video 44n are displayed in that order. The one-shot notification performance change suggestion information 44γ is information that suggests a change operation to change the setting of whether or not the one-shot notification performance is yes or no. The same applies when the jackpot super reach C to F is executed.

When the jackpot super reach A or B shown in (b) is executed and no one-shot notification is set, the jackpot ending display performance displays the next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, and card removal forget prevention information 44y in that order, as in the case shown in FIG. 58. When the super reach A or B is executed and one-shot notification is set, the jackpot ending display performance displays the combined information of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and one-shot notification performance change suggestion information 44γ, the manufacturer information 44x, the combined information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal forget prevention information 44y, and the bonus video 44n in that order. The same applies when normal reach A or B and jackpot super reach C or D are executed.

Next, the display mode of the third symbol display device 42 will be described with reference to FIG. 85. FIG. 85 is a diagram explaining the display mode from the reach display effect to the big win ending display effect.

As shown in (a), the display control device 45 controls the display of a selection request image that requests the player to make a predetermined selection (selection of whether or not to display a one-shot announcement effect) during a reach development effect (for example, a mission clear effect based on a super reach A). The selection request image is specific operation period information 44a ("Press and hold to change whether or not to display a one-shot announcement effect"). Specific operation period end approach information 44e is displayed together with specific operation period information 44a, and the time (for example, 10 seconds) during which the presence or absence of a one-shot announcement effect can be selected is counted. If 10 seconds pass without any operation of the frame button 80, it is determined that a one-shot announcement effect will be displayed.

The choice of whether or not to have a one-shot announcement effect can be made by leaving the status quo (with the one-shot announcement effect) as described above without operating frame button 80, or by operating frame button 80 as shown in (b) to change to no one-shot announcement effect. Operating frame button 80 displays change information display section 44c, and by operating left selection button 82 or right selection button 83, the user can select no one-shot announcement effect. Pressing decision button 81 will confirm the selected mode.

As a result of the selection, it is assumed that a one-shot announcement effect has been selected. The mission clear effect is executed when the selection of whether or not to have a one-shot announcement effect is made as requested by the selection request image. This makes it easier to remember a particular effect as well as making it clear that a specific selection has been made as requested by the operation request image, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect.

During the mission clear performance, as shown in (d), the one-shot announcement device IP falls from the top of the display screen 42a of the third symbol display device 42, and the many LEDs arranged in front of the one-shot announcement device IP and the light-emitting devices arranged around the display screen 42a light up to produce a one-shot announcement performance. The one-shot announcement performance may output a sound that gives the impression of a one-shot announcement in conjunction with the light emission. After the light emission ends, the one-shot announcement device IP is stored above the display screen 42a. In the mission clear performance in which the one-shot announcement performance is performed, as shown in (e), the player's character PY clears the mission, and the development pattern HZ is displayed as a stopped combination of, for example, "666". After that, as shown in (f), the jackpot round play of 8R ends, and the jackpot ending performance begins.

When the player has selected not to display a single notification, the jackpot ending performance is displayed in a pattern in which next game state suggestion information 44w shown in (g), manufacturer information 44x shown in (h), and card removal prevention information 44y shown in (i) are displayed. When the player has selected to display a single notification, the combined information of light-emitting staring prevention information 44o (text information stating "Please be careful not to stare at a strong light") and single notification performance change suggestion information 44γ ("If your eyes get tired easily, you can also select not to display a single notification") shown in (j), next game state suggestion information 44w shown in (k), manufacturer information 44x and card removal prevention information 44y shown in (l) are displayed. In addition, next game state approach information 44l6, which indicates the remaining time until the jackpot ending performance, is also displayed.

In this way, the display control device 45 can control the display of information related to the specific performance (the light-emitting gaze prevention information 44o described above) executed during the reach development performance in the ending performance. The information related to the specific performance is information indicating the components of the specific performance, for example, the information "Please be careful not to continue looking at the strong light" indicating the light that constitutes the one-shot announcement performance in the light-emitting gaze prevention information 44o. In addition, the information related to the specific performance may be information that reminds the player of a specific color when a one-shot announcement role device IP capable of emitting light of multiple colors emits a specific light, indicating a confirmed jackpot. This makes it easier to remember the display performance by displaying the components of the specific performance, thereby further improving the interest of the ending performance.

In addition, information related to the special effects is information indicating the effect that the special effects had on the player, such as the above-mentioned one-shot announcement effect change suggestion information 44γ "If your eyes get tired easily, you can choose not to have one-shot announcement." This is information that suggests to the player that if there is another opportunity to choose whether or not to have one-shot announcement effects for the next or subsequent reach development effects, they should choose the option they did not choose this time (no one-shot announcement). This makes it possible to appeal to players whose eyes are affected by the strong light from the special effects to rest their eyes, thereby further increasing the interest of the ending effects.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 21, the information related to the special effect is information indicating the components of the special effect (for example, "strong light" in the light gaze prevention information 44o "Please be careful not to stare at a strong light for long periods of time"). This makes it easier to remember the displayed effect by displaying the components of the special effect, further increasing the interest of the ending effect. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G2).

In addition, the information related to the special effect is information indicating the effect that the special effect had on the player (for example, one-shot notification effect change suggestion information 44γ "If your eyes get tired easily, choose B next time"). This makes it possible to appeal to players who have been affected by the special effect, further increasing the interest of the ending effect. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G3).

The special effect is a special notification effect (a one-shot notification effect using a one-shot notification device IP) that notifies the player that the possibility of a special result is higher than if the special effect is not executed. This makes it easier for players who see, hear, or experience the notification to remember the special notification effect, thereby increasing the interest of the ending effect. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G8).

The display control device 45 also has a selection request execution function that controls the display of a selection request image (change information display section 44c) that requests the player to make a specified selection (selection of whether or not to make a one-shot announcement) during the reach development presentation, and the specific presentation (one-shot announcement presentation) is executed when the specified selection requested by the selection request image is made. This makes it easier to remember the specific presentation along with the fact that the specified selection requested by the operation request image has been made, thereby improving the interest of the ending presentation. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G9).

In the above-mentioned Example 21, it was possible to select whether or not to execute the one-shot announcement effect during the reach display effect, but the selection of whether or not to execute the one-shot announcement effect may be made during other display effects. This point will be explained with reference to Figures 86 and 87. Figure 86 is a diagram explaining a table for determining the ending effect pattern in Example 22. Figure 87 is a diagram explaining another display mode of the big win ending display effect.

That is, the selection request image is displayed during the ending performance, for example, at the same time as information related to a specific performance (for example, information to prevent gazing at the light emission 44o). This allows the player to reconsider whether to make a specific selection after seeing the information related to the specific performance, thereby improving the interest of the ending performance.

The table for determining the ending performance pattern will be explained. (a) corresponds to the 16R special chance (special chance 1) shown in FIG. 84, and (b) corresponds to the 8R special chance (special chance 1) shown in FIG. 84.

When the jackpot super reach A or B shown in (a) is executed, when the one-shot announcement is set, and when no operation has been performed to change the one-shot announcement presentation to on or off using the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 described below, the jackpot ending display presentation will display in sequence a combination of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1, manufacturer information 44x, next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal forgetting prevention information 44y, and bonus video 44n. When the jackpot super reach A or B is executed, the one-shot announcement is set, and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 described later is changed to have the one-shot announcement presentation on or off, the jackpot ending display presentation displays the combined information of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1, the combined information of the manufacturer information 44x and the next game state suggestion information 44w, the one-shot announcement presentation change operation information 44γ2, and the bonus video 44n in that order. The same applies when the jackpot super reach C to F is executed.

The one-shot announcement effect change proposal information 44γ1 is information proposing a change operation to change the setting of whether or not the one-shot announcement effect is enabled in this jackpot ending display effect. The one-shot announcement effect change operation information 44γ2 is information indicating the content of the change operation to change whether or not the one-shot announcement effect is enabled when a change operation is performed by operating the frame button 80 on the one-shot announcement effect change proposal information 44γ1.

When the jackpot super reach A or B shown in (b) is executed, the one-shot announcement is set, and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 has not been changed to have the one-shot announcement presentation, the jackpot ending display presentation is displayed in the order of the composite information of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1, the manufacturer information 44x, the next game state suggestion information 44w, and the card removal forget prevention information 44y. When the jackpot super reach A or B is executed, the one-shot announcement is set, and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 has been changed, the jackpot ending display presentation is displayed in the order of the composite information of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1, the manufacturer information 44x, the next game state suggestion information 44w, and the card removal forget prevention information 44y, and the one-shot announcement presentation change operation information 44γ2. The same applies when jackpot normal reach A or B or jackpot super reach C or D is executed.

Next, the display mode of the third pattern display device 42 will be described with reference to FIG. 87. FIG. 87 is a diagram for explaining the display mode from the reach display effect to the big win ending display effect. Note that the display mode from the reach display effect to the big win round display effect is the same as in FIG. 85, so the description will begin from the start of the big win ending display effect.

When the one-shot announcement is set to Yes and the one-shot announcement is executed during the reach presentation leading to the big win ending display presentation, as shown in (a), a combination of the light emission gaze prevention information 44o and the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 is displayed. When the one-shot announcement is set to Yes, the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 is text information saying "If your eyes get tired easily, press the button to select no one-shot announcement." During the display period of the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1, the specific operation period end approach information 44e is displayed, indicating the time during which the one-shot announcement presentation change operation will be accepted. Throughout the display period of the ending display presentation, the next game state approach information 44l6 is displayed, indicating the remaining time of the ending display presentation.

If the frame button 80 is not pressed while the one-shot notification effect change proposal information 44γ1 is being displayed (10 seconds after the beginning of the ending effect), in other words, if the player does not wish to change whether or not the one-shot notification effect is on, the big win ending display effect will display the manufacturer information 44x shown in (b) (5 seconds) and the combined information of the next game state suggestion information 44w and card removal prevention information 44y shown in (c) (10 seconds) in that order.

If a change operation is performed while the one-shot announcement effect change proposal information 44γ1 is being displayed, that is, if the player wishes to change whether or not the one-shot announcement effect is on, the big win ending display effect will display a composite information (5 seconds) of manufacturer information 44x and next game state suggestion information 44w, as shown in (d). In addition, while this composite information is being displayed, post-specific operation waiting information 44a3 is displayed to inform the player that they are waiting until the start of the operation to change the one-shot announcement effect. The post-specific operation waiting information 44a3 is text information stating, "Please wait a moment until the operation to change the one-shot announcement effect is performed."

After the display of the manufacturer information 44x and the next game state suggestion information 44w has finished, as shown in (e), one-shot announcement effect change operation information 44γ2 (10 seconds) is displayed to allow the player to change the one-shot announcement effect. The one-shot announcement effect change operation information 44γ2 displays a change information display section 44c that displays whether or not the one-shot announcement effect is on, and an operation method display section 44d that shows the method of changing the one-shot announcement effect to whether or not it is on. In addition, specific operation period end approach information 44e that indicates the remaining time for this change operation is also displayed.

As shown in (f), when the player operates the left selection button 82 or the right selection button 83 to select no one-shot announcement effect and presses the decision button 81, the one-shot announcement effect is set to no one in the next game state.

When the one-shot announcement is set and the one-shot announcement is executed during the reach presentation leading to the big win ending display presentation, only the one-shot announcement presentation change proposal information 44γ1 is displayed in (a), and text information such as "If you want to see the one-shot announcement presentation this time, press the button to select one-shot announcement" may be displayed. When the player presses the button, the one-shot announcement presentation change operation information 44γ2 is displayed as in (e) to (f). After the change operation is completed, the remaining ending information 44j is displayed as shown in (g), and the game moves to the next game state. In this way, by the player selecting one-shot announcement during the ending display presentation, the one-shot announcement presentation can be displayed in the next game state. This makes the player want to see the one-shot announcement presentation this time in the ending presentation, and can maintain his or her motivation to play.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 22, the selection request image (one shot announcement effect change suggestion information 44γ) is displayed during the ending display effect. This makes it easier to leave a strong impression of the specific effect (one shot announcement effect) along with the ending display effect, thereby improving the interest of the ending effect. This is an example of the gaming machine described in (G11).

The pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 23 is configured so that the third illumination unit (top lamp) 303 can be replaced with another third illumination unit (another top lamp) 604 of a different size and shape. In addition, even when the third illumination unit 303 is replaced with the other third illumination unit 604, the decorative effect can be optimized. The specific configuration is described below.

Figure 88 is a front view of the pachinko machine of Example 23 with an illuminated cover of a different size attached to it than that of Figure 1. Figure 89 is a right side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 88, showing the CC cross section when an illuminated cover of a different size is attached. Figure 90 is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 88, showing the DD cross section when an illuminated cover of a different size is attached. Figures 91(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the adjustment of the light-emitting area when an illuminated cover of a different size is attached.

The third illumination section 303 consists of a configuration that is fixed to the front frame set 14 and a configuration that is detachable from the front frame set 14.

Specifically, the third illumination unit 303 is configured to be fixed to the front frame set 14 and includes a light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light and a control mechanism 608 that controls the manner of light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607, and is configured to be detachable from the front frame set 14 and includes a third illumination cover 609 that covers the front side of the light irradiation device 607. The third illumination cover 609 can be replaced with a different third illumination cover 610 of a different size and shape from the third illumination cover 609.

The third illumination cover 609 is made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin. The third illumination cover 609 may be colorless or colored, and may be surface-treated to have a frosted glass-like texture. The third illumination cover 609 may be provided with a diffusion member (diffusion plate) having irregularities for diffusing the light from the light irradiation device 607, or an irregularity for diffusing the light from the light irradiation device 607 may be provided on the inner surface of the third illumination cover 609. This allows the third illumination cover 609 to make the light irradiation device 607 difficult for the player to see. In addition to the third illumination cover 609 (i.e., the third illumination unit 303), the separate third illumination cover 610, the first illumination unit 301, and the second illumination unit 302 are also configured in the same way.

The third illuminated cover 609 constitutes a cover for the third illuminated section 303, and is attached to the location sandwiched between the sound output section 24 of the front frame set 14, with its upper end formed horizontally along the inside of the upper edge of the inner frame 12 and its front end protruding slightly forward beyond the sound output section 24. The third illuminated cover 609 is formed as a first light-emitting area 605 in which the left and right sides, top and bottom surfaces, etc. emit light with the front surface as the center.

The separate third illumination cover 610 constitutes a cover for the separate third illumination section 604, and is attached to the location sandwiched between the sound output section 24 of the front frame set 14, but its upper end is formed above the upper edge of the inner frame 12, and its front end protrudes slightly forward compared to when the third illumination cover 609 is attached. In other words, the separate third illumination cover 610 can be attached to the same location as the third illumination cover 609, but is formed as a larger illumination cover than the third illumination cover 609. The separate third illumination cover 610 is formed as a second light-emitting area 606 with a wider range than the first light-emitting area 605 on the left and right sides, top surface, bottom surface, etc. centered on its front surface. The second light-emitting area 606 of the separate third illumination cover 610 changes depending on its shape.

The third separate illuminated cover 610 is attached to the location sandwiched between the sound output unit 24 of the front frame set 14 by a slide mechanism 602 that slides the third separate illuminated cover 610 in the front-rear direction. The slide mechanism 602 is composed of slide grooves 603 formed on the upper and lower sides of the inner surface of the cover of the sound output unit 24.

The slide groove 603 is formed at the front and back so that the third illuminated cover 609 and the separate third illuminated cover 610 can be attached vertically to the front frame set 14, but the third illuminated cover 609 and the separate third illuminated cover 610 may also be attached by inserting them diagonally downward into the front frame set 14. The slide groove 603 may also be such that the third illuminated cover 609 and the separate third illuminated cover 610 can be attached and removed in the vertical direction to the front frame set 14.

When the third illuminated cover 609 is attached (i.e., when the front surface of the third illuminated cover 609 is located at the first position), the control mechanism 608 executes a first control to cause the front surface of the third illuminated cover 609 located at the first position to emit light as the first light-emitting area 605 with the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607. The first control is a control of the inclination, position, light-emitting intensity, light-emitting area, etc. of the light irradiation device 607 to suitably emit light from the first light-emitting area 605 with the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607. In this embodiment, the first control is an attitude control to maintain or shift the light irradiation device 607 to a vertical attitude.

When the separate third illumination cover 610 is attached (i.e., when the front surface of the separate third illumination cover 610 is located at the second position), the control mechanism 608 executes a second control to cause the front surface of the separate third illumination cover 610 located at the second position to emit light as the second light-emitting area 606 with the light emitted from the light irradiation device 607. The second control is a control of the inclination, position, light-emitting intensity, light-emitting area, etc. of the light irradiation device 607 so that the light emitted from the light irradiation device 607 appropriately emits light in the second light-emitting area 606. In this embodiment, the second control is a posture control in which the light irradiation device 607 is maintained or shifted to a posture inclined slightly upward.

As a result, even if the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 illuminates the first light-emitting area 605 (i.e., the third illuminated cover 609) or the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 illuminates the second light-emitting area 606 (i.e., the separate third illuminated cover 610), the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately by optimizing the irradiation of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607. Even if the third illuminated cover 609 arranged on the front frame set 14 of the gaming machine body is replaced with the separate third illuminated cover 610, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately. Even if the shape of the separate third illuminated cover 610 has changed from the shape of the third illuminated cover 609 before the change, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately.

The control mechanism 608 changes the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed (or from a state in which the second control can be executed to a state in which the first control can be executed; the same applies below) during the process of replacing the third illumination cover 609 with the separate third illumination cover 610 on the front frame set 14 of the gaming machine body. This allows the light emitting area to be suitably changed during the process of replacing the third illumination cover 609 arranged on the front frame set 14 of the gaming machine body with the separate third illumination cover 610.

The third illuminated cover 609 and the separate third illuminated cover 610 are provided with a locking mechanism 622 that allows them to be locked and replaced on the front frame set 14 without using tools. The locking mechanism 622 is composed of, for example, a claw portion 623 provided on the front frame set plate 14a and a claw hole portion 624 provided on the third illuminated cover 609 and the separate third illuminated cover 610. The locking mechanism 622 is designed so that the claw portion 623 is firmly inserted into the claw hole portion 624, and therefore cannot be easily removed by players or cheaters during business hours.

The control mechanism 608 changes the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed in accordance with the replacement work of the third illumination cover 609 and the separate third illumination cover 610. This makes it easy to perform replacement work to suitably change the light-emitting area.

Next, the first control and the second control performed by the control mechanism 608 will be explained in detail.

The light irradiation device 607 includes a light emitting board 611 on which an LED 612 is arranged, and a board support part 613 that supports the light emitting board 611. The board support part 613 is rotatably supported by a main body side fixing part 620 that is fixed to the front frame set 14.

The light irradiation device 607 is configured to be able to tilt the light emitting substrate 611 by means of the substrate support part 613 and the main body side fixing part 620. The control mechanism 608 changes the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed by tilting the light emitting substrate 611. This makes it possible to easily adjust the irradiation angle.

The control mechanism 608 includes an input unit 614 that inputs the force generated in the process of attaching the separate third illumination cover 610 to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illumination cover 609 in order to configure the light-emitting substrate 611 to be tiltable, and an output unit 615 that changes the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 based on the input force.

The input unit 614 is a mechanism that pushes the light irradiation device 607 into the separate third illumination cover 610 during the process of attaching the separate third illumination cover 610 to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illumination cover 609. Specifically, the input unit 614 includes a push-in portion 616 provided on the separate third illumination cover 610 and a push-in receiving portion 617 provided on the light irradiation device 607.

The push-in portion 616 is a protruding portion disposed on the inner surface of the left end portion of the separate third illumination cover 610 when viewed from the front. The protrusion of the push-in portion 616 is formed so that during the process of attaching the separate third illumination cover 610 to the front frame set 14, before the cover is attached to the attachment location, it comes into contact with a push-in receiving portion 617 provided at the upper left end portion of the board support portion 613 when viewed from the front, thereby tilting the board support portion 613 toward the rear.

The push-in portion 616 is made difficult for the player to see by the uneven portion formed on the inside of the third separate illuminated cover 610, but to make the push-in portion 616 even more difficult to see, it may be formed on the side of the third separate illuminated cover 610. In this case, the push-in receiving portion 617 is also formed on the side of the light irradiation device 607.

Depending on the difference in the structure for attaching the separate third illumination cover 610, the push-in portion 616 and the push-in receiving portion 617 may be disposed in different locations on the separate third illumination cover 610 and the light irradiation device 607. If the above-mentioned slide groove 603 is configured to attach the third illumination cover 609 and the separate third illumination cover 610 by inserting them obliquely downward relative to the front frame set 14, the push-in receiving portion 617 may be protruded to the back side of the light irradiation device 607, and the push-in portion 616 may be formed at a location (the inner surface of the separate third illumination cover 610) where the push-in receiving portion 617 protruding to the back side of the light irradiation device 607 can be pushed in. As a result, when the third illuminated cover 609 is attached, the push-in receiving portion 617 is hidden behind the light irradiation device 607, and when the separate third illuminated cover 310 is attached, both the push-in portion 616 and the push-in receiving portion 617 are hidden behind the light irradiation device 607, so not only are they not visible to the player, but the light emitting area of the light irradiation device 607 can be made larger.

The output unit 615 is a mechanism that tilts the light emitting substrate 611 by tilting the light emitting device 607 based on the force input from the input unit 614, thereby changing the light emitting device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed. Specifically, the output unit 615 is composed of a substrate support unit 613, a main body side fixing unit 620, an axis 618, a coil spring 619 attached to the axis 618, and an attitude regulation unit 621 that regulates the attitude of the substrate support unit 613.

The shaft 618 connects the board support part 613 and the body side fixed part 620 so that the board support part 613 can tilt relative to the body side fixed part 620. The coil spring 619 generates a biasing force between the board support part 613 and the body side fixed part 620 when attached to the shaft 618. The coil spring 619 increases its biasing force as the push-in part 616 comes into contact with the push-in receiving part 617 and tilts the board support part 613 toward the rear during the process of attaching the separate third illumination cover 610, and the biasing force is greatest at the position where the pushing of the push-in part 616 ends.

The position restriction portion 621 is a stopper provided on the board support portion 613. When the third illumination cover 609 is attached, the biasing force of the coil spring 619 is restricted by the position restriction portion 621 so that the board support portion 613 is in a vertical position.

This allows the light-emitting area to be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated during the process of attaching the separate third illuminated cover 610 to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609. The light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force with which the separate third illuminated cover 610 presses the light irradiation device 607 during the process of attaching the separate third illuminated cover 610 to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609. The irradiation angle can be easily adjusted by utilizing the force input during the process of attaching the separate third illuminated cover 610 to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 23 is provided with the third illumination unit 303 (third illumination cover 609) disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body, and the light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light toward the back side of the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 is capable of shifting a predetermined surface (e.g., the front surface) of the third illumination unit 303 that receives light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 by the shifting mechanism 602 to a different position, so that the impression of the front side of the pachinko machine 10 can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303. When the predetermined surface is located at a first position, the control mechanism 608 executes a first control to cause the predetermined surface located at the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area 605 with light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607, and when the predetermined surface is located at a second position, the control mechanism 608 executes a second control to cause the predetermined surface located at the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area 606 with light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607. Therefore, the light irradiating direction can be optimized according to the change in the predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303, so that the light-emitting area can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H1) above.

The third illumination unit 303 is a replaceable third illumination cover 609 arranged on the front side of the pachinko machine 10 body, the first light-emitting area 605 is provided on a predetermined surface of the third illumination cover 609, and the second light-emitting area 606 is provided on a predetermined surface of a separate third illumination cover 610 that is replaced with the third illumination cover 609. Therefore, even if the third illumination cover 609 arranged on the front side of the pachinko machine 10 body is replaced with the separate third illumination cover 610, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H2) above.

The light irradiation device 607 is also a light emitting board 611 mounted on the front frame set 14. This allows the light emitting area to be suitably changed even when the third illumination cover 609 arranged on the front frame set 14 of the gaming machine body is replaced with a different third illumination cover 610 and the light emitting board 611 is provided on the front frame set 14 side rather than the third illumination cover 609 side. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H3) above.

The first control is to set the irradiation angle of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 to the first light-emitting area 605 at a right angle (first irradiation angle) and to set the irradiation area of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 to the first light-emitting area 605 to the first irradiation area (front of the third illumination cover 609), and the second control is to set the second irradiation angle different from the first irradiation angle (more inclined than the first irradiation angle) and the second irradiation area different from the first irradiation area (wider than the first irradiation area). In this way, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by changing the irradiation angle and irradiation area. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H4) above.

The second light-emitting area 606 of the separate third illuminated cover 610 changes depending on its shape. This allows the light-emitting area to be changed appropriately even if the shape of the separate third illuminated cover 610 changes from the shape of the third illuminated cover 609 before the change. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H5) above.

The third illumination cover 609 and the separate third illumination cover 610 can be replaced without using tools. This allows easy replacement work to suitably change the light-emitting area. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H6) above.

The light irradiation device 607 can also be tilted. This allows the irradiation angle to be easily adjusted whether the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 causes the first light-emitting area 605 to emit light or the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 causes the second light-emitting area 606 to emit light. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H7) above.

In addition, the control mechanism 608 changes the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed in the process of replacing the third illumination cover 609 with the different third illumination cover 610, so that the light emission area can be suitably changed in the process of replacing the third illumination cover 609 with the different third illumination cover 610. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H9) above.

The control mechanism 608 also includes an input unit 614 that inputs the force generated in the process of replacing the third illuminated cover 609 with the different third illuminated cover 610, and an output unit 615 that changes the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed based on the input force, so that the light emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated in the process of replacing the third illuminated cover 609 with the different third illuminated cover 610. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H10) above.

The input unit 614 is a push-in unit 616 and a push-in receiving unit 617 that push the light irradiation device 607 into the separate third illumination cover 610 during the process of replacing the third illumination cover 609 with the separate third illumination cover 610, so that the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force with which the separate third illumination cover 610 pushes the light irradiation device 607 during the process of replacing the third illumination cover 609 with the separate third illumination cover 610. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H11) above.

In addition, the output unit 615 tilts the light irradiation device 607 based on the input force, thereby changing the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed. This makes it possible to easily adjust the irradiation angle by utilizing the force input in the process of attaching the separate third illumination cover 610 to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illumination cover 609. This is also an example of the gaming machine described above in (H12).

The pachinko machine 10 main body includes an outer frame 11 that forms the outer shell of the pachinko machine 10 main body, an inner frame 12 that is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the outer frame 11 with one side of the outer frame 11 as an opening/closing axis, and a front frame set 14 that is attached so as to be openable and closable with respect to the inner frame 12 with one side of the inner frame 12 as an opening/closing axis. The inner frame 12 includes a resin base 12a that forms its outer shape, and a game board 30 that is attached to the resin base 12a and has a game area 30a through which game balls flow down. The game board 30 includes a third pattern. The pachinko machine 10 includes a pattern display device 42 having a display screen 42a on which a display effect during a jackpot game state that occurs when the variable display of the first pattern and the variable display of the third pattern result in a jackpot is displayed, and an opening that makes the display screen 42a visible, and the front frame set 14 includes a glass frame portion 23 that surrounds a glass plate 137 that makes the game area 30a and the display screen 42a visible, and the third illumination portion 303 is visible from the front side of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine 10 body. This makes it easy to shift the light-emitting point on the front side of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine 10 body, and by optimizing the light irradiation direction in accordance with the shift of the light-emitting point, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I2) above.

In addition, since the third illumination unit 303 is attached to the glass frame 23 of the front frame of the pachinko machine body, it facilitates the shifting of the light-emitting point in the glass frame 23 of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine body 10, and by optimizing the direction of light irradiation in accordance with the shifting of the light-emitting point in the glass frame 23, it is possible to suitably change the light-emitting area in the glass frame 23. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I3) above.

The third illumination unit 303 is made of a transparent resin material and is configured to make the control mechanism 608 difficult to see, making it possible to make the control mechanism 608 less noticeable. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J4) above.

In addition, the control mechanism 608 is arranged so as not to overlap the front of the light-emitting unit mounting surface of the light irradiation device 607, so that the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed without blocking the light-emitting unit mounting surface. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J4) above.

In the above-mentioned Example 23, the control mechanism 608 changes the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 by tilting the light irradiating device 607. However, a configuration may be adopted in which the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 is changed while the light irradiating device 607 remains fixed. A specific configuration will be described below.

Figures 92(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the adjustment of the light-emitting area in Example 24.

In this embodiment, the light irradiation device 607 is fixed to the front frame set 14 and includes a light-transmitting section 630 that transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 to the first light-emitting region 605 or the second light-emitting region 606. The light-transmitting section 630 includes a light-transmitting plate 631 that transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 and outputs it to the front side, a light-transmitting plate support section 632 that supports the light-transmitting plate 631, and a control mechanism 608 similar to that of the embodiment 23. The light-transmitting plate 631 may be colorless or colored and transparent, or may have the property of diffusing light.

The configuration of the light-transmitting plate support part 332 is the same as that of the board support part 613 that tilts the light-emitting board 611 of Example 23. In other words, when the third illumination cover 609 is attached by the control mechanism 608, the light-transmitting plate support part 632 remains in a vertical position and transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 and outputs it to the front side where the first light-emitting area 605 is located, but when the third illumination cover 610 is replaced, the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 is refracted diagonally upward where the second light-emitting area 606 is located and transmits it in a tilted position.

As a result, not only when the light irradiation device 607 is tiltable, but also when the light-transmitting section 630 is tiltable, the irradiation angle can be easily adjusted to suitably change the light-emitting area.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 24, the light irradiation device 607 is fixed to the front frame and includes a light-transmitting section 630 that transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 to the first light-emitting area 605 or the second light-emitting area 606, and the light-transmitting section 630 is tiltable. This makes it possible to easily adjust the irradiation angle not only when the light irradiation device 607 is tiltable, but also when the light-transmitting section 630 is tiltable. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H8) above.

In the above-mentioned Examples 23 and 24, the input unit 614 and output unit 615 of the control mechanism 608 tilt the light-emitting substrate 313 by the force of the pushing unit 616 pushing the light-emitting substrate 313, but the input unit 614 and output unit 615 of the control mechanism 608 may have a different configuration. The following describes in detail the configurations that differ from Examples 23 and 24.

Figure 93 is a front view of a pachinko machine of Example 25. Figure 94 is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 93, showing the state in which an illumination cover is attached in an EE section. Figure 95 is a front view of the pachinko machine in a state in which an illumination cover of a different size is attached. Figure 96 is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 95, showing the state in which an illumination cover of a different size is attached in an FF section. Figures 97(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the adjustment of the light-emitting area when an illumination cover of a different size is attached. Figure 98 is a flowchart showing normal processing by the sub-control device.

The control mechanism 608 includes a separate cover detection sensor 641 that detects that the separate third illuminated cover 610 has been attached to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609, and a tilting motor 642 that changes the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 based on the detection of the separate cover detection sensor 641. This allows the light emitting area to be suitably changed by detecting that the separate third illuminated cover 610 has been attached to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609.

The separate cover detection sensor 641 is attached at a location facing the inner surface of the third illuminated cover 609, for example, at the upper left of the main body side fixed part 620 when viewed from the front of the gaming machine. The separate cover detection sensor 641 is, for example, a limit switch. When the third illuminated cover 609 is attached, the separate cover detection sensor 641 detects that the separate third illuminated cover 610 is not attached because the hinge does not press the contact. When the separate third illuminated cover 610 is replaced, the separate cover detection sensor 641 detects that the separate third illuminated cover 610 is attached by pressing the hinge into a part of the separate third illuminated cover 610 (for example, the separate cover detection protrusion 643 described later) and pressing the switch.

The third illuminated cover 610 has a separate cover detection protrusion 643 at a position corresponding to the separate cover detection sensor 641 on the inner surface on the right side when viewed from the front of the gaming machine. The separate cover detection protrusion 643 reliably contacts the separate cover detection sensor 641 when the third illuminated cover 610 is attached to the front frame set 14. Note that the configuration of the separate cover detection sensor 641 is not limited to the above configuration and may be, for example, a non-contact sensor.

When the third illuminated cover 609 is attached in place of the separate third illuminated cover 610, the separate cover detection sensor 641 detects that the separate third illuminated cover 610 has been removed because the hinge separates from the switch when the separate third illuminated cover 610 is removed. This allows the light-emitting area to be suitably changed by detecting that the third illuminated cover 609 has been attached to the front frame set 14 in place of the separate third illuminated cover 610.

The separate cover detection sensor 641 and the tilting motor 642 are electrically connected to the sub-controller 262. When the separate cover detection sensor 641 detects that the separate third illumination cover 610 has been attached, the sub-controller 262 rotates the tilting motor 642 to a predetermined angle, tilting the board support part 613 so that the light irradiation device 607 changes from a vertical position to a tilted position. When the separate cover detection sensor 641 detects that the separate third illumination cover 610 has been removed, the sub-controller 262 reversely rotates the tilting motor 642 to a predetermined angle, and raises the board support part 613 so that the light irradiation device 607 changes from a tilted position to a vertical position. The tilting motor 642 may be controlled by detecting the rotation angle with a potentiometer or an encoder, or by applying a pulse voltage for a predetermined rotation angle using a stepping motor.

Next, the normal processing performed by the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 will be described with respect to differences from the above-mentioned embodiment. In step S2103A, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 performs the power-on notification in step S2103, and then performs the light-emitting area adjustment. Specifically, when the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 receives an ON signal (a detection signal indicating that the separate third illumination cover 610 has been attached) from the separate cover detection sensor 641, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 rotates the tilt motor 642 until it reaches a predetermined angle, and performs the light-emitting area adjustment by tilting the board support part 613 so that the light irradiation device 607 is in a tilted position from a vertical position. After performing this light-emitting area adjustment, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 performs the customer waiting performance in step S2104. Note that the steps of power-on notification, light-emitting area adjustment, and customer waiting performance may be performed in a different order or simultaneously. This allows you to check the change in the light-emitting area before playing begins when the separate third illumination cover 610 is attached, reducing problems during play and allowing you to change the light-emitting area appropriately.

In step S2107, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a process of editing a lamp lighting pattern that corresponds (synchronizes) with the variable pattern presentation of the decorative pattern on the third pattern display device 42 of the relevant model. This lamp lighting pattern may be different when the third illumination cover 609 is attached and when the separate third illumination cover 610 is attached. The trigger for adopting a different lighting pattern is not limited to replacement of the separate third illumination cover 610, but may also be replacement of the main control device 261 and sub-control device 262 accompanying the installation of the separate third illumination cover 610. In this way, when the separate third illumination cover 610 is attached, a lamp lighting pattern different from that when the third illumination cover 609 is attached can be shown.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 25 is provided with the third illumination unit 303 (third illumination cover 609) arranged on the front side of the pachinko machine 10 body, and the light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light onto the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 can shift a predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303, which is illuminated by light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607, between a first position and a second position by the shift mechanism 602, so that the impression of the front side of the gaming machine can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 is provided with a separate cover detection sensor 614 that can detect the shift of the predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303, so that the shift of the predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303 can be recognized. The pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a control mechanism 608 that executes a first control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to illuminate the predetermined surface located at the first position as the first light-emitting area 605 when it is detected that the predetermined surface has been moved to the first position, and executes a second control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to illuminate the predetermined surface located at the second position as the second light-emitting area when it is detected that the predetermined surface has been moved to the second position. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by recognizing the shift of the predetermined surface of the third illumination unit 303 and optimizing the direction of light irradiation according to the shift of the predetermined surface. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J1) above.

The control mechanism 608 also includes an input unit 614 that receives the force generated during the transition of the specified surface of the third illumination unit 303 from the first position to the second position, a contact-type separate cover detection sensor 641 that can detect the transition of the specified surface of the third illumination unit 303 from the first position to the second position based on the input force, and an output unit 615 that changes the light irradiation device 607 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed when it is detected that the specified surface has transitioned from the first position to the second position. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated during the transition of the specified surface of the third illumination unit 303 from the first position to the second position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J2) above.

In addition, the input unit 614 is a separate cover detection protrusion 643 that accepts the force generated in the process of the specific surface of the third illumination unit 303 transitioning from the first position to the second position and pushes in the contact-type separate cover detection sensor 641, so that the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by accepting the force generated in the process of the specific surface of the third illumination unit 303 transitioning from the first position to the second position and using the force to push in the contact-type separate cover detection sensor 614. This is also an example of the gaming machine described above in (J3).

The third illumination unit 303 is made of a transparent resin material and is configured to make the control mechanism 608 difficult to see, making it possible to make the control mechanism 608 less noticeable. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J4) above.

In addition, the control mechanism 608 is arranged so as not to overlap the front of the light-emitting unit mounting surface of the light irradiation device 607, so that the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed without blocking the light-emitting unit mounting surface. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J5) above.

In addition, since the control mechanism 608 is provided on the rear side of the light irradiation device 607, the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately without blocking the light-emitting area being changed, while ensuring a sufficient light-emitting area on the front side of the control mechanism 608. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J8) above.

In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 25, when the illumination cover is replaced with an illumination cover of a different size, the angle of the light-emitting substrate 613 or the light-transmitting plate 631 is adjusted, but it is also possible to adjust elements other than these. The following describes in detail the configurations that differ from the above-mentioned examples.

Figure 99 is a front view of the pachinko machine of Example 26. Figure 100 is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 99, showing the state in which the illuminated cover is attached in the GG cross section. Figure 101 is a front view of the pachinko machine in the state in which the illuminated cover with a different light-emitting area is attached. Figure 102 is a left side view of the pachinko machine shown in Figure 101, showing the state in which the illuminated cover of a different size is attached in the HH cross section. Figure 103 is a flowchart showing normal processing by the sub-control device.

The third separate illumination cover 650 of Examples 23 to 25 has a second illumination area 606A that is the same width as the first illumination area 605 of the third illumination cover 609 but is taller than the first illumination area 605. The second illumination area 606A of the third separate illumination cover 650 of this embodiment has a partial illumination area 651 that emits light in a region corresponding to the first illumination area 605, and a non-illuminating area 652 that does not emit light in the remaining portion. For example, the partial illumination area 651 is formed of a light-transmitting resin, but the non-illuminating area 652 is formed of a light-shielding resin. This allows the third separate illumination cover 650 to realize decorations such as a partial illumination area 651 that is made to look like a treasure in the middle of the non-illuminating area 652 that is made to look like the ocean, or a partial illumination area 651 that is made to look like the moon in the middle of the non-illuminating area 652 that is made to look like the night sky.

The control mechanism 608 includes a separate cover detection sensor 641 and a mechanism for changing the irradiation area of the light irradiation device 607 based on the detection of the separate cover detection sensor 641. When the third illuminated cover 609 is attached, the light irradiation device 607 illuminates the entire area of the light emitting substrate 611 corresponding to the first light emitting area 605. When the separate third illuminated cover 650 is attached, the control mechanism 608 illuminates the area of the light emitting substrate 611 that corresponds only to the partial light emitting area 651 as the second light emitting area 606A.

This allows the light-emitting area to be appropriately changed even when the illumination area is changed by detecting whether the separate third illumination cover 650 has been attached to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illumination cover 609. Note that the object to be changed is not limited to the illumination area, but may be the illumination intensity or the color of the light. By using the difference in the illumination effect between the third illumination cover 609 and the separate third illumination cover 650, it is also possible to express differences in the types of gaming machines, such as the probability of a jackpot or the presence or absence of settings.

Next, in the normal processing performed by the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262, as in FIG. 98 described above, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 adjusts the light-emitting area and non-light-emitting area in response to the attachment of the separate third illumination cover 650 (step S2103B). For example, when the detection signal received from the separate cover detection sensor 641 is an OFF signal, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 determines that the third illumination cover 609 is attached, and sets all the LEDs 612 of the light-emitting board 611 corresponding to the first light-emitting area 605 as the light-emitting target. Also, when the detection signal received from the separate cover detection sensor 641 is an ON signal, the CPU 551 of the sub-controller 262 determines that the separate third illumination cover 650 is attached, and sets the LEDs 612 in the center of the light-emitting board 611 corresponding to the second light-emitting area 606A as the light-emitting target. The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 causes the LED 612 that has been set to emit light in a predetermined pattern when the power is turned on. This allows the player to check the lighting status of the luminous and non-luminous areas corresponding to the attachment of the separate third illumination cover 650 before playing begins when the separate third illumination cover 650 is attached, and allows the luminous areas to be changed appropriately.

In step S2107, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 performs a process of editing the lamp lighting pattern corresponding to the attachment of the separate third illumination cover 610 in response to (synchronization with) the variable pattern presentation. For example, when the detection signal received from the separate cover detection sensor 641 is an OFF signal, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines that the third illumination cover 609 is attached, and edits the lamp lighting pattern when all the LEDs 612 of the light-emitting board 611 corresponding to the first light-emitting area 605 are set as the light-emitting target. In addition, when the detection signal received from the separate cover detection sensor 641 is an ON signal, the CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 determines that the separate third illumination cover 650 is attached, and edits the lamp lighting pattern when the LEDs 612 in the center part of the light-emitting board 611 corresponding to the second light-emitting area 606A are set as the light-emitting target. The CPU 551 of the sub-control device 262 causes the LED 612 that has been set to emit light in the edited lamp lighting pattern in response to the variable pattern presentation. This makes it possible to reduce wasteful power consumption caused by continuing to emit light in unnecessary parts even after the separate third illumination cover 650 has been attached.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 26, the control mechanism 608 is equipped with a separate cover detection sensor 641 that detects that the separate third illuminated cover 610 has been attached to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609, and a means for changing the irradiation area, light emission intensity, and light emission color of the light irradiation device 607 based on the detection of the separate cover detection sensor 641. This makes it possible to suitably change the light emission area even when the irradiation area, light emission intensity, and light emission color are changed by detecting whether the separate third illuminated cover 650 has been attached to the front frame set 14 in place of the third illuminated cover 609.

In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, the illumination unit (third illumination unit 303) that controls the light mode was provided in the glass frame unit 23, but in this embodiment, the illumination unit that controls the light mode is disposed on the game board 30, which is a difference from the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26. The pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 27 is equipped with, for example, a movable illumination unit 703 as the illumination unit disposed on the game board 30. The movable illumination unit 703 is configured so that when the movable illumination unit 703 operates, the decorative effect can be optimized at the positions before and after the operation. The specific configuration will be described below.

Figure 104 is a front view of the game board of Example 27. Figure 105 is a cross-sectional view II of the game board shown in Figure 104, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part. Figure 106 is a front view of the game board with the movable illumination part protruding. Figure 107 is a cross-sectional view JJ of the game board shown in Figure 106, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part.

The movable illumination section 703 consists of a component that moves passively within the center frame 47A and a component that moves actively within the center frame 47A.

Specifically, the movable illumination unit 703 includes, as a passively moving component, a light irradiation device 707 that irradiates light and a control mechanism 708 that controls the manner of light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707, and, as an actively moving component, a movable illumination unit cover 709 that covers the front side of the movable illumination unit 703 and a drive mechanism 710 that operates the movable illumination unit cover 709.

The movable illumination cover 709 is made of a light-transmitting resin. In the illustration, the movable illumination cover 709 is flat, but it may be a three-dimensional model that resembles a specific person, animal, or tool. The movable illumination cover 709 receives light from the back side and emits light on the front side to highlight the person, animal, or tool.

The movable illumination unit cover 709 is formed from a light-transmitting synthetic resin. The movable illumination unit cover 709 may be colorless or colored, and may be treated with a frosted glass-like surface treatment. The movable illumination unit cover 709 may be provided with a diffusion member (diffusion plate) having irregularities for diffusing the light from the light irradiation device 707 located behind it, or the inner surface of the movable illumination unit cover 709 may have irregularities for diffusing the light from the light irradiation device 707. This allows the movable illumination unit cover 709 to make the light irradiation device 707 difficult for the player to see.

The driving mechanism 710 is a displacement mechanism that displaces a predetermined surface (e.g., the front surface) of the movable illumination unit cover 709 that is illuminated by the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707. Specifically, the driving mechanism 710 may be a solenoid, a mechanism that converts the rotational motion of a motor into linear motion using a ball screw, or any other mechanism, so long as it is a mechanism that moves the front surface of the movable illumination unit cover 709 in a linear direction.

When the drive mechanism 710 is not in operation, the front surface of the movable illumination unit cover 709 is located behind the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A (i.e., the first position) when viewed from the front of the game machine, and is moved to a position exposed from the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A (i.e., the second position) when the drive mechanism 710 is in operation. The right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A is also made of a transparent resin like the movable illumination unit 703. The right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A and the movable illumination unit cover 709 may be unified in shape to form a single illumination device. Such an illumination device may be operated so that, for example, it is hidden behind the right edge of the center frame 47A when not in operation, but appears from behind the right edge of the center frame 47A while being strongly illuminated when in operation. This allows the movable illumination unit 703 to be displayed as an illumination decoration with different impressions depending on the intensity of the light emitted when not in operation and when in operation.

In the above-described configuration, the front surface of the movable illumination unit cover 709 (or the movable illumination unit cover 709 and the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A) located behind the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A (first position) is the first light-emitting area 705, and the front surface of the movable illumination unit cover 709 located at the exposed area from the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A (second position) is the second light-emitting area 706.

The right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A may be formed from a resin that does not have optical transparency. In this case, the movable illumination unit cover 709 may be operated so that it is positioned in a location that is invisible or difficult to see for the player when not in operation, and is positioned in a location that is easily visible for the player when in operation. This also allows the movable illumination unit 703 to show illumination decorations that have different emission and non-emission depending on whether the unit is in operation or not.

When the front surface of the movable illumination unit 703 is moved to a first position by the driving mechanism 710, the control mechanism 708 executes a first control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 to illuminate the front surface of the movable illumination unit 703 located at the first position as a first light-emitting area 705, and when the front surface of the movable illumination unit 703 is moved to a second position by the driving mechanism 710, the control mechanism 708 executes a second control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 to illuminate the front surface of the movable illumination unit 703 located at the second position as a second light-emitting area 706.

As a result, whether the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 causes the first light-emitting region 705 to emit light or the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 causes the second light-emitting region 706 to emit light, the light-emitting location can be easily shifted, and the light irradiation direction can be optimized in accordance with the shift in the light-emitting location, thereby allowing the light-emitting region to be suitably changed.

Next, we will explain in detail how the control mechanism 708 controls the light behavior.

The light irradiation device 707 includes a light emitting substrate 711 on which LEDs 712 are arranged, and a substrate support section 713 that supports the light emitting substrate 711. The substrate support section 713 supports the light emitting substrate 711 so that it can rotate, with one end of the substrate support section 713 fixed to the center frame 47A.

The light irradiation device 707 is configured so that the light emitting substrate 711 can be rotated by the substrate support part 713. The control mechanism 708 controls the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 from a first state to a second state by rotating the light emitting substrate 711. This makes it possible to easily adjust the irradiation angle.

The control mechanism 708 changes the light irradiation device 707 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed by the operation of moving the movable illumination unit 703 from a position (first position) on the rear side of the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A to a position (second position) in which the movable illumination unit 703 is exposed from the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A. This allows the light-emitting area to be suitably changed by the operation of moving the movable illumination unit 703 to the second position.

The control mechanism 708 includes an input unit 714 that inputs the force generated by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position, and an output unit 715 that changes the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 based on the input force. This makes it possible to suitably change the light-emitting area by utilizing the force generated by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position.

The input unit 714 is a mechanism that causes the movable illumination unit cover 709 to push (i.e. rotate) the light irradiation device 707 from the first rotation position to the second rotation position by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position. Specifically, the input unit 714 includes a push-in portion 716 provided on the movable illumination unit cover 709 and a push-in receiving portion 717 provided on the light irradiation device 707.

The push-in portion 716 is disposed on the upper surface of the movable illumination unit cover 709 and is a portion that protrudes toward the rear side of the movable illumination unit cover 709. The push-in portion 716 is formed so that, in the process of moving the movable illumination unit cover 709 to the second position, it comes into contact with the push-in receiving portion 717 disposed on the upper surface of the board support portion 713, and rotates the board support portion 713 to face the second rotation position. For example, the push-in receiving portion 717 has a rotating body (roller), and the push-in portion 716 has an inclined surface that rolls the rotating body in accordance with the rotation of the board support portion 713. As a result, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force of the movable illumination unit cover 709 pushing the light irradiation device 707 (i.e., rotating it to the second rotation position) by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position.

The output unit 715 is a mechanism that rotates the light emitting substrate 711 by rotating the light emitting device 707 based on the force input from the input unit 714, thereby changing the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707. Specifically, the output unit 715 is composed of a substrate support unit 713, an axis 718, a coil spring 719 attached to the axis 718, and a posture regulating unit 721 that regulates the posture of the substrate support unit 713. This makes it possible to easily adjust the irradiation angle by utilizing the force generated by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position.

The input section 714 (push-in section 716 and push-in receiving section 717) are disposed on the upper surface of the movable illumination section cover 709 and the board support section 713, respectively, and the output section 715 is disposed around the axis 718 of the board support section 713. Neither of them overlaps with the front surface of the light-emitting section mounting surface of the light irradiation device 707, so the light-emitting area can be suitably changed without blocking the light-emitting section mounting surface.

The shaft 718 connects the board support part 713 to the center frame 47A so that the board support part 713 can rotate. The coil spring 719 generates a biasing force on the board support part 713 when attached to the shaft 718. In the process of moving the movable illumination part cover 709 to the second position, the coil spring 719 increases the biasing force as the pushing part 716 contacts the pushing receiving part 717 and the board support part 713 rotates to face the second rotation position, and the biasing force is strongest at the position where the pushing of the pushing part 716 ends. When the movable illumination part cover 709 returns from the second position to the first position, the biasing force causes the board support part 713 to return from the second rotation position to its original first rotation position.

The position restriction portion 721 is a stopper provided on the board support portion 713. When the movable illumination portion 703 is positioned on the back surface of the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A, the biasing force of the coil spring 719 restricts the position of the board support portion 713 to face the movable illumination portion 703 head-on by the position restriction portion 721.

This allows the light-emitting area to be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position. The light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force with which the movable illumination unit cover 709 presses the light irradiation device 707 by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position. The irradiation angle can be easily adjusted by utilizing the force generated by the action of the movable illumination unit 703 moving to the second position.

Next, the operation of the movable illumination unit 703 will be described. The movable illumination unit 703 can be operated by pressing the frame button 80 (e.g., the decision button 81) in response to an operation request image that requests the operation of the frame button 80 displayed on the third pattern display device 42. The operation request image is displayed, for example, during the customer waiting performance (waiting display) on the third pattern display device 42. The display content of the operation request image is, for example, an image such as "Make character A stand out? (If you want to make it stand out, press the frame button.)". Here, character A is a decoration that indicates a character applied to the movable illumination unit 703. When the frame button 80 is pressed for the operation request image, the movable illumination unit 703 that imitates character A is shifted from a less noticeable position (first position) on the back side of the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A to a more noticeable position (second position) exposed from the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A.

This allows the illuminated area to be appropriately changed in response to the movement of the movable illumination unit 703 based on the player's operation, making it easier to create decorations on the front side of the pachinko machine 10 body according to the player's preferences.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this Example 27 is equipped with a movable illumination unit 703 disposed on the front side of the main body of the pachinko machine 10, and a light irradiation device 707 that irradiates light toward the back side of the movable illumination unit 703. The pachinko machine 10 is capable of shifting the front side of the movable illumination unit 703, which receives light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707, to different positions, so that the impression of the front side of the pachinko machine 10 can be changed according to the change in the position of the front side of the movable illumination unit 703. When the front of the movable illumination unit 703 is in a first position, the control mechanism 708 executes a first control to cause the front of the movable illumination unit 703 in the first position to emit light as a first light-emitting area 705 using light emitted from the light irradiation device 707, and when the front of the movable illumination unit 703 is in a second position, the control mechanism 708 executes a second control to cause the front of the movable illumination unit 703 in the second position to emit light as a second light-emitting area 706 using light emitted from the light irradiation device 707. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by optimizing the light irradiation direction according to the change in the front of the movable illumination unit 703. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H1) above.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this Example 27 is provided with a movable illumination unit 703 disposed on the front side of the main body of the pachinko machine 10, and a light irradiation device 707 that irradiates light onto the movable illumination unit 703. The pachinko machine 10 is provided with a drive mechanism 710 that can move a predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703, which is illuminated by light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707, between a first position and a second position, so that the light-emitting location of the movable illumination unit 703 is not uniform, and the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 can be easily moved. The pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a control mechanism 708 that executes a first control to make the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 illuminate the predetermined surface located at the first position as a first light-emitting area 705 when the predetermined surface is moved to a first position by the drive mechanism 710, and executes a second control to make the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 illuminate the predetermined surface located at the second position as a second light-emitting area 706 when the predetermined surface is moved to a second position by the drive mechanism 710, thereby facilitating the shifting of the light-emitting location and optimizing the light irradiation direction according to the shifting of the light-emitting location, thereby suitably changing the light-emitting area. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I1) above.

The pachinko machine 10 main body includes an outer frame 11 that forms the outer shell of the pachinko machine 10 main body, an inner frame 12 that is supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the outer frame 11 with one side of the outer frame 11 as an opening/closing axis, and a front frame set 14 that is attached so as to be openable and closable with respect to the inner frame 12 with one side of the inner frame 12 as an opening/closing axis, the inner frame 12 includes a resin base 12a that forms its outer shape, and a game board 30 that is attached to the resin base 12a and has a game area 30a through which game balls flow down, and the game board 30 is provided with a play area 30a through which game balls flow down, and during the variable display of the third pattern and The device is equipped with a third symbol display device 42 having a display screen 42a on which a display performance during a jackpot game state that occurs when the variable display of the third symbol results in a jackpot result is displayed, and an opening that makes the display screen 42a visible, and the front frame set 14 is equipped with a glass frame section 23 on the back side of which a glass plate 137 that makes the game area 30a and the display screen 42a visible when viewed from the front of the game machine is attached, and the movable illumination section 703 is made visible from the front side of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine 10 main body. This makes it easy to shift the light-emitting point on the front side of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine 10 main body, and by optimizing the light irradiation direction in accordance with the shift of the light-emitting point, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the game machine described in (I2) above.

In addition, the movable illumination unit 703 is attached behind the glass plate 137 of the front frame set 14 of the pachinko machine 10 body and is visible through the glass plate 137, which makes it easy to shift the light-emitting point behind the glass plate 137 of the pachinko machine 10 body, and by optimizing the direction of light irradiation in accordance with the shift of the light-emitting point behind the glass plate 137, the light-emitting area behind the glass plate 137 can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I4) above.

In addition, since the movable illumination unit 703 is disposed on the right side of the play area 30a of the game board 30, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed even on the right side of the play area 30a of the game board 30. This is also an example of the game machine described in (I5) above.

In addition, since the movable illumination unit 703 is disposed on the right side of the opening of the game board 30, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed even on the right side of the opening of the game board 30. This is also an example of the game machine described in (I6) above.

The light irradiation device 707 also includes a light emitting substrate 711 and a drive mechanism 710 that changes the position of the light emitting substrate 711 relative to a specific surface of the movable illumination unit 703, so that the light emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I7) above.

The first control sets the irradiation angle of the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 to the first light-emitting area 705 to a first irradiation angle, and the second control sets the irradiation angle of the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 to the second light-emitting area 706 to a second irradiation angle different from the first irradiation angle. This allows the light-emitting area to be suitably changed by changing the irradiation angle in a configuration in which the movable illumination unit 703 operates. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I8) above.

The machine also includes a frame button 80 (e.g., a decision button 81) that is operated by the player, and the movable illumination unit 703 operates in response to the operation of the frame button 80. Therefore, even when the movable illumination unit 703 operates in response to the operation of the frame button 80, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I9) above.

In addition, the movable illumination unit 703 operates in response to the operation of the frame button 80 while the display performance is being displayed on the third pattern display device 42, so even if the movable illumination unit 703 operates while the display performance is being displayed on the third pattern display device 42, the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed at each position according to the operation. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I11) above.

In addition, the light irradiation device 707 rotates in response to the operation of the movable illumination unit 703, so that the irradiation angle can be easily adjusted by rotating the light irradiation device 707 in either case that the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 illuminates the first light-emitting area 705 or that the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 illuminates the second light-emitting area in response to the operation of the movable illumination unit 703. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I12) above.

In addition, the control mechanism 708 changes the light irradiation device 707 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed during the process in which the specified surface of the movable illumination unit 703 transitions from the first position to the second position, so that the light-emitting area can be suitably changed during the process in which the specified surface of the movable illumination unit 703 transitions from the first position to the second position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I13) above.

The control mechanism 708 also includes an input unit 714 that inputs the force generated in the process of the specific surface of the movable illumination unit 703 transitioning from a first position to a second position, and an output unit 715 that changes the light irradiation device 707 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed based on the input force, so that the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated in the process of the specific surface of the movable illumination unit 703 transitioning from the first position to the second position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I14) above.

In addition, the input unit 714 is a push-in unit 716 and a push-in receiving unit 717 that apply a force to rotate the light irradiation device 707 during the process in which a specific surface of the movable illumination unit 703 transitions from the first position to the second position, so the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force applied to the light irradiation device 707 during the process in which a specific surface of the movable illumination unit 703 transitions from the first position to the second position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I15) above.

In addition, the output unit 715 rotates the light irradiation device 707 based on the input force, thereby changing the light irradiation device 707 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed. Therefore, the irradiation angle can be easily adjusted by utilizing the force input in the process in which the specified surface of the movable illumination unit 703 moves from the first position to the second position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I16) above.

The movable illumination unit 703 is made of a resin material having transparency and is configured so that the control mechanism 708 is difficult to see. The movable illumination unit 703 is made of a resin material having transparency, but is configured so that the control mechanism 708 is difficult to see, so the control mechanism 708 does not stand out. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J4) above.

The control mechanism 708 is also arranged so as not to overlap the front of the light-emitting unit mounting surface of the light irradiation device 707, so that the light-emitting area can be appropriately changed without blocking the light-emitting unit mounting surface. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J5) above.

In addition, when the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 is shifted to the left or right when viewed from the front of the gaming machine, the input unit 714 is provided on the upper surface (top) of the light irradiation device 707, so that the light-emitting area shifting to the left and right is not easily blocked, and the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J7) above.

In the above-mentioned Example 27, the control mechanism 708 changes the mode of light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 by tilting the light irradiation device 707. However, as in Example 24, a configuration may be adopted in which the mode of light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 is changed while the light irradiation device 707 remains fixed.

Figure 108 shows the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part in Example 28.

In this embodiment, the light irradiation device 707 is fixed to the front side of the variable display unit 35 attached to the back side of the game board 30 on the back side of the center frame 47A, and includes a light-transmitting section 730 that transmits light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 to the first light-emitting area 705 or the second light-emitting area 706. The light-transmitting section 730 includes a light-transmitting plate 731 that transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 and outputs it to the front side, a light-transmitting plate support section 732 that supports the light-transmitting plate 731, and a control mechanism 708 similar to that of embodiment 27.

The configuration of the light-transmitting plate support part 432 is the same as the configuration of the board support part 713 that tilts the light-emitting board 711 of Example 23. In other words, when the movable illumination part cover 709 is located in the first position, the light-transmitting plate support part 732 transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 and outputs it to the front side where the first light-emitting area 705 is located, while remaining in a position corresponding to the back surface of the right side of the opening of the center frame 47A by the control mechanism 708, but when the movable illumination part cover 709 is moved to the second position, the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 is refracted toward the diagonal direction where the second light-emitting area 706 is located and transmits it in a position facing the part exposed from the right side of the opening of the center frame 47A.

As a result, not only in a configuration in which the light irradiation device 707 is rotatable, but also in a configuration in which the light-transmitting portion 730 is rotatable, the irradiation angle can be easily adjusted and the light-emitting area can be suitably changed.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 28, the light irradiation device 707 is fixed to the variable display unit 35 and includes a light transmitting section 730 that transmits the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 to the first light emitting area 705 or the second light emitting area 706, and the light transmitting section 730 is rotatable. This makes it possible to easily adjust the irradiation angle not only when the light irradiation device 707 is rotatable, but also when the light transmitting section 730 is rotatable. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H8) above.

In the above-mentioned Examples 27 and 28, the input unit 714 and the output unit 715 of the control mechanism 708 rotate the light irradiation device 707 by the force of the pushing unit 716 pushing the light irradiation device 707, but the input unit 714 and the output unit 715 of the control mechanism 708 may have a different configuration. Specific configurations are described below.

Figure 109 is a front view of the game board of Example 29. Figure 110 is a K-K cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 109, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part. Figure 111 is a K-K cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 109, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area when the movable illumination part is protruding.

The control mechanism 708 includes a displacement detection sensor 741 that detects that the movable illumination unit 703 has moved from a location (first position) on the rear side of the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A to a location (second position) where the movable illumination unit 703 is exposed from the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A, and a rotation motor 742 that changes the state of the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707 based on the detection of the displacement detection sensor 741. This allows the light emitting area to be appropriately changed by detecting that the movable illumination unit 703 has moved from the first position to the second position.

The displacement detection sensor 741 is attached to the upper side of the back surface of the right edge of the opening of the center frame 47A when viewed from the front of the gaming machine. The displacement detection sensor 741 is, for example, a limit switch. When the movable illumination unit 703 (movable illumination unit cover 709) is located at the first position, the hinge is not pushed in (the switch is not pressed), so the displacement detection sensor 741 detects that the movable illumination unit 703 has not moved to the second position. When the movable illumination unit 703 moves to the second position, the displacement detection sensor 741 detects that the hinge is pushed into the movable illumination unit 703 during the process, pushing the switch, and the movable illumination unit 703 has moved to the second position. The configuration of the displacement detection sensor 741 is not limited to the above configuration, and may be, for example, a non-contact sensor.

When the movable illumination unit 703 moves from the second position to the first position, the displacement detection sensor 741 detects that the movable illumination unit 703 has moved to the first position because the hinge separates from the switch as the movable illumination unit 703 returns to the first position. This allows the light-emitting area to be suitably changed by detecting that the movable illumination unit 703 has moved from the second position to the first position.

The displacement detection sensor 741 and the rotation motor 742 are electrically connected to the sub-controller 262. When the displacement detection sensor 741 detects that the movable illumination unit 703 has moved from the first position to the second position, the sub-controller 262 rotates the rotation motor 742 until it reaches a predetermined angle, and rotates the substrate support unit 713 so that the light irradiation device 707 faces the second position from the front position of the first position. When the displacement detection sensor 741 detects that the movable illumination unit 703 has moved from the second position to the first position, the sub-controller 262 reversely rotates the rotation motor 742 until it reaches a predetermined angle, and reversely rotates the substrate support unit 713 so that the light irradiation device 707 faces the second position from the front position of the first position. The control of the rotation motor 742 may be performed by detecting the rotation angle using a potentiometer or an encoder, or may be performed by applying a pulse voltage for a predetermined rotation angle using a stepping motor.

The movable illumination cover 709 and the hinge of the displacement detection sensor 741 that contacts it correspond to the input unit 714 in the above-mentioned embodiment. The rotation motor 742 corresponds to the output unit 715 in the above-mentioned embodiment.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 29 includes a movable illumination unit 703 (e.g., the movable illumination unit 703) disposed on the front side of the main body of the pachinko machine 10, and a light irradiation device 707 that irradiates light onto the movable illumination unit 703. The pachinko machine 10 can shift a predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703, which is illuminated by light irradiated from the light irradiation device 707, between a first position and a second position, so that the impression of the front side of the pachinko machine 10 can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703. The pachinko machine 10 includes a displacement detection sensor 741 that can detect the displacement of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703, so that the displacement of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 can be recognized. The pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a control mechanism 708 that executes a first control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 to illuminate the predetermined surface located at the first position as a first light-emitting area 705 when it is detected that the predetermined surface has been moved to a first position, and executes a second control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 to illuminate the predetermined surface located at the second position as a second light-emitting area 706 when the predetermined surface is moved to a second position, so that the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 707 can recognize the shift of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 and optimize the light irradiation direction according to the shift of the predetermined surface, thereby suitably changing the light-emitting area. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J1) above.

The control mechanism 708 also includes an input unit 714 that receives the force generated in the process of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 moving from the first position to the second position, a contact-type displacement detection sensor 741 that can detect the movement of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 from the first position to the second position based on the input force, and an output unit 715 that changes the light irradiation device 707 from a state in which the first control can be executed to a state in which the second control can be executed when it is detected that the predetermined surface has moved from the first position to the second position. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by utilizing the force generated in the process of the predetermined surface of the movable illumination unit 703 moving from the first position to the second position. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J2) above.

In addition, the input unit 714 is a hinge for the movable illumination unit cover 709 and the displacement detection sensor 741, which accepts the force generated in the process of the specified surface of the movable illumination unit 703 moving from the first position to the second position and pushes in the contact-type displacement detection sensor 741, so that the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by accepting the force generated in the process of the specified surface of the movable illumination unit 703 moving from the first position to the second position and using the force that pushes in the contact-type displacement detection sensor 741. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J3) above.

In the above-mentioned Examples 27 to 29, the output 715 of the control mechanism 708 adjusts the irradiation angle of the light irradiation device 707, but it may also adjust a different element related to the irradiation of the light irradiation device 707. This will be explained in detail below.

Figure 112 is a front view of the game board of Example 30. Figure 113 is an LL cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 112, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part. Figure 114 is a front view of the game board with the movable illumination part protruding. Figure 115 is an MM cross-sectional view of the game board shown in Figure 114, showing the adjustment of the light-emitting area of the movable illumination part.

The movable illumination unit 750 in this embodiment is a light guide plate processed to illuminate a specific pattern or character on a transparent resin acrylic panel, and a light guide plate light emitting unit 753 is provided on the side of the light guide plate. The light emitting area of the movable illumination unit 750 has a partial light emitting area 751 where a part of it emits light, and a non-light emitting area 752 where the remaining part does not emit light. The light emitting area of the movable illumination unit 750 is divided into, for example, six parts, each of which is configured to emit characters ("ge", "ki", "a", "tsu", "i", "!"). The light guide plate light emitting unit 753 is also divided into six parts accordingly, and is controlled so that some of it is illuminated as partial light emitting unit 754 and the remaining part is not illuminated as non-light emitting unit 755.

The control mechanism 708 includes a displacement detection sensor 741 and a mechanism for changing the irradiation area of the light irradiation device 707 based on the detection of the displacement detection sensor 741. Specifically, when the displacement detection sensor 741 detects that the movable illumination unit 750 is located at the first position, the control mechanism 708 sets the light guide plate light emitting unit 753 to a non-light emitting unit 755 that does not emit light to any of the six characters.

In addition, when the control mechanism 708 detects that the movable illumination unit 750 is located at the second position by the displacement detection sensor 741, the light guide plate light emitting unit 753 illuminates the areas corresponding to four letters ("a", "tsu", "i", "!") and five letters ("ge", "ki", "a", "tsu", "!") as partial light emitting units 754 in accordance with the player's operation, and the characters other than the illuminated areas become non-light emitting units 755.

This allows the light-emitting region to be appropriately changed even when the illuminated area is changed by detecting whether the movable illumination unit 750 has moved to the second position. Note that the object to be changed is not limited to the illuminated area, but may also be the light-emitting intensity or the light-emitting color. The difference in the illumination effect between the first position and the second position can also express the difference in the expectation of the outcome of the jackpot lottery.

Next, the operation of the movable illumination unit 703 will be described. The movable illumination unit 703 can be operated by pressing the frame button 80 (e.g., the decision button 81, the left selection button 82, or the right selection button 83) in response to an operation request image requesting the operation of the frame button 80 displayed on the third pattern display device 42. The timing of displaying the operation request image is, for example, during a display performance related to the variable display of the third pattern on the third pattern display device 42. The display content of the operation request image is an image having options that prompt a prediction of the result of the variable display, such as "Is this reach hot or very hot?" during a specified reach performance. In addition to this, options that ask the player's preference, such as "Which is your favorite character, A or B?" may also be used. When the player presses the right selection button 83 to select "gekiatsu" in response to the operation request image and presses the decision button 81 to confirm, the movable illumination unit 750 moves from the first position to the second position, and when it is detected that the movable illumination unit 750 is located at the second position, the light guide plate light emitting unit 753 illuminates the areas corresponding to the five letters ("ge," "ki," "a," "tsu," and "!") as partial light emitting units 754, and the characters other than the illuminated areas become non-light emitting units 755. Furthermore, when the player presses the left selection button 82 to select "hot" in response to the operation request image and presses the decision button 81 to confirm, the movable illumination unit 750 moves from the first position to the second position, and when it is detected that the movable illumination unit 750 is in the second position, the light guide plate light emitting unit 753 illuminates the areas corresponding to the four letters ("a", "tsu", "i", and "!") as partial light emitting units 754, and the characters other than the illuminated areas become non-light emitting units 755.

This allows the illuminated area to be appropriately changed in response to the movement of the movable illumination unit 703 based on the player's operation, making it easier to create decorations on the front side of the pachinko machine 10 body according to the player's preferences.

As described above, according to the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 30, the control mechanism 708 includes a displacement detection sensor 741 that detects that the movable illumination unit 750 has moved to the second position, and a mechanism that changes the irradiation area of the light irradiation device 707 based on the detection of the displacement detection sensor 741. This makes it possible to suitably change the light emitting area even when the irradiation area is changed by detecting whether the movable illumination unit 750 has moved to the second position.

In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, the third illumination unit 303 and the separate third illumination unit 604 are configured to be attached and detached in the front-to-rear direction of the pachinko machine 10, but they may also be configured to be attached and detached in an oblique direction of the pachinko machine 10. The following description will be given with reference to FIG. 116.

Figures 116(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the installation direction of the illumination cover 609 and the separate illumination cover 610 of Example 31.

When viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10, the illuminated cover 609 and the separate illuminated cover 610 of this embodiment have roughly the same shape as the illuminated cover 609 and the separate illuminated cover 610 of Examples 23 to 26. However, the illuminated cover 609 and the separate illuminated cover 610 of this embodiment have a different attachment and removal structure from the illuminated cover 609 and the separate illuminated cover 610 of Examples 23 to 26.

The third illumination part 603 and the separate third illumination part 604 are attached by a slide mechanism 602 that slides the third illumination cover 609 and the separate third illumination cover 610 diagonally. The slide mechanism 602 is composed of a slide groove 603 formed on the main body of the pachinko machine 10 that slopes upward toward the front of the pachinko machine 10, and a portion formed on the third illumination cover 609 and the separate third illumination cover 610 that fits into this slide groove 603. Note that the shapes of the various parts that make up the slide mechanism 602 have been omitted in the illustration.

The illumination cover 609 and separate illumination cover 610 of this embodiment also differ in the structure of the control mechanism 608 from the illumination cover 609 and separate illumination cover 610 of embodiments 23 to 26. That is, the input section 614 is the same as the illumination cover 609 and separate illumination cover 610 of embodiments 23 to 26, but the mounting location and shape of the push-in section 616 and the push-in receiver 617 are different.

The protrusion of the push-in portion 616 is disposed on the inner surface of the top surface that is inclined diagonally toward the tip end of the insertion direction of the separate illumination cover 610. The shape of the protrusion of the push-in portion 616 may be a small piece, or a flat plate extending laterally of the pachinko machine 10. The push-in receiving portion 617 is significantly different from Examples 23 to 26 in that it extends from the back surface of the light irradiation device 607 to the rear side of the pachinko machine 10. The shape of the push-in receiving portion 617 only needs to correspond to the shape of the push-in portion 616, and may be rod-shaped or flat.

When the third illumination unit 303 is attached to the glass frame 23, the peripheral wall of the opening of the third illumination cover 609 is guided by the diagonally formed slide mechanism 602 and is attached between the sound output units 24. Since the third illumination cover 609 does not have a push-in portion 616, the first light-emitting area 605 is formed with the light irradiation device 607 in a vertical position. When the separate third illumination unit 604 is attached to the glass frame 23, the base of the periphery of the opening side of the separate third illumination cover 610 is guided by the diagonally formed slide mechanism 602 and is attached between the sound output units 24. Since the separate third illumination cover 610 has a push-in portion 616, it comes into contact with the push-in receiving portion 617 on the back of the light irradiation device 607, tilting the light irradiation device 607 to the rear of the pachinko machine 10, and forming the second light-emitting area 606 above the first light-emitting area 605.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this Example 31 is equipped with the third illumination unit 303 disposed on the front side of the main body of the pachinko machine 10, and the light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light toward the back side of the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 is capable of shifting the front side of the third illumination unit 303, which receives light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607, to different positions, so that the impression of the front side of the pachinko machine 10 can be changed according to the change in the position of the front side of the third illumination unit 303. When the front of the third illumination unit 303 is located at the first position, the control mechanism 608 executes a first control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to illuminate the front of the third illumination unit 303 located at the first position as a first light-emitting area 605, and when the front of the third illumination unit 303 is located at the second position, the control mechanism 608 executes a second control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to illuminate the front of the third illumination unit 303 located at the second position as a second light-emitting area 606. Therefore, by optimizing the light irradiation direction according to the change in the front of the third illumination unit 303, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H1) above.

In addition, since the input unit 614 is provided on either the left or right side of the light irradiation device 607 when the front surface of the third illumination unit 303 is shifted vertically when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10, the input unit 614 is unlikely to block the light-emitting area that shifts vertically, and the light-emitting area can be changed appropriately. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J6) above.

In addition, when the front surface of the third illumination unit 303 is shifted in an upwardly sloping diagonal direction as it approaches the front surface of the pachinko machine 10, the input unit 614 is located on the rear side of the light irradiation device 607 in a position that can input the force generated in the process of the front surface of the third illumination unit 303 shifting in an oblique direction, so that the input unit 614 does not interfere with the shift of the third illumination unit 303 and can change the light-emitting area appropriately without blocking the shifted light-emitting area. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J9) above.

In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, the light-emitting area is changed by utilizing the force generated in the process of replacing the third illumination unit 303 with another third illumination unit 604, but it is also possible to change the light-emitting area of the third illumination unit 303 while keeping it as it is. The following will be explained with reference to FIG. 117.

Figures 117(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the state before and after the change in the light-emitting area of the illumination cover 609 in Example 32. The front view of the pachinko machine 10 in this example is similar to Figure 1, so please refer to Figure 1. Note that in this example, the third illumination part 303 in Figure 1 corresponds to the third illumination cover 609 before the movable illumination part 305 changes as shown in Figure 117(a), and the separate third illumination part 604 in Figure 1 corresponds to the third illumination cover 609 after the movable illumination part 305 changes as shown in Figure 117(b).

The third illumination unit 303 of this embodiment has roughly the same shape as the third illumination unit 303 of Examples 23 to 26 when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10. However, the third illumination unit 303 of this embodiment is different from the third illumination unit 303 of Examples 23 to 26 in that it is configured as a movable illumination unit 305 that can operate part of the illumination without the need to replace it with a separate third illumination unit 604.

The third illumination unit 303 (movable illumination unit 305) has a third illumination cover 609 divided into a tip end 658 and a base end 659, and is equipped with a sliding drive mechanism 660 that causes the tip end 658 to protrude and retract diagonally from the base end 659. As with Example 31, the sliding mechanism has a slide groove 603 formed in the base end 659 of the third illumination cover 609, and the slide groove 603 slopes upward toward the front of the pachinko machine 10. A portion that fits into this slide groove 603 is formed in the tip end 658 of the third illumination cover 609, and the tip end 658 of the third illumination unit 303 is attached to the base end 659 of the third illumination unit 303.

The drive mechanism 660 includes a rack 661 formed at the tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609, and a pinion (circular gear) 662 formed at the base end 659 of the third illuminated cover 609. A motor 663 fixed to a predetermined location of the base end 659 is connected to the pinion 662. The tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609 is configured to protrude and retract by driving the motor 663. The position when the tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609 protrudes to the uppermost side is the second position, and the position when the tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609 retracts to the lowermost side is the first position.

The structure of the control mechanism 608 of the illumination cover 609 of this embodiment is also different from the illumination cover 609 and the separate illumination cover 610 of embodiments 23 to 26. That is, the input section 614 is the same as the illumination cover 609 and the push-in receiving section 617, but the structures of the push-in section 616 and the push-in receiving section 617 are different.

The push-in portion 616 is composed of a protrusion (axis) 664 protruding from the inner surface of the tip portion 658 of the third illumination cover 609 (the inner surface of the left side when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10), and a slide member (slider) 665 with one end side to which the axis 664 is rotatably fitted. A long hole 666 is formed on the other end side of the slider 665, and a protrusion (axis) 667 protruding from the left side of the light irradiation device 607 is connected to this long hole 666 so as to be able to slide freely. The push-in receiving portion 617 corresponds to the axis 667 protruding from the left side of the light irradiation device 607.

To protrude the tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609 to the second position, the motor 663 is rotated in a predetermined direction (for example, counterclockwise on the page if the motor 663 is connected coaxially with the pinion 662), and as the tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609 rises to the second position, the slider 665 pushes the light irradiation device 607, tilting the light irradiation device 607 to the rear of the pachinko machine 10, and a second light-emitting area 606 is formed in front of the tip 658 and base end 659. When the tip 658 of the third illuminated cover 609 is to be retracted to the first position, the motor 663 is rotated in the opposite direction (for example, clockwise on the page), and as the tip 659 of the third illuminated cover 609 descends to the first position, the slider 665 lifts the light irradiation device 607, causing the light irradiation device 607 to stand up at the front of the pachinko machine 10, and the first light-emitting area 605 is formed in front of the tip 658 (which is also the front of the base end 659 overlapping the front).

The control mechanism 608 is equipped with a displacement detection sensor 668 that detects when the tip 658 of the third illumination cover 609 moves from the first position to the second position. The displacement detection sensor 668 may be a limit switch that detects when the tip 658 is in the first position or the second position, or a potentiometer or encoder that detects the rotation angle of the motor 663 when the tip 658 is in the first position or the second position. This allows the light-emitting area to be appropriately changed by detecting when the tip 658 of the third illumination cover 609 moves from the first position to the second position and when it moves from the second position to the first position.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 32 is provided with the third illumination unit 303 (a movable illumination unit 305 of a split drive type consisting of a tip end 658 and a base end 659) arranged on the front side of the main body of the pachinko machine 10, and a light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light to the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 is provided with a drive mechanism 660 that can move the front surface of the tip end 658 of the third illumination unit 303, which is illuminated by light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607, between a first position and a second position, so that the light emitting point of the third illumination unit 303 is not uniform, and the light emitting point of the third illumination unit 303 can be easily moved. The gaming machine includes a control mechanism 608 that executes a first control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to emit light from the front of the tip 658 located at the first position as the first light-emitting region 605 when the front of the tip 658 is moved to a first position by the drive mechanism 660, and executes a second control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to emit light from the front of the tip 658 and the base end 659 located at the second position as the second light-emitting region 606 when the front of the tip 658 is moved to a second position by the drive mechanism 660. This facilitates the shifting of the light-emitting location, and by optimizing the light irradiation direction according to the shifting of the light-emitting location, the light-emitting region can be suitably changed. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (I1) above.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment 32 includes the third illumination unit 303 (a movable illumination unit 305 of a split drive type consisting of a tip portion 658 and a base portion 659) arranged on the front side of the pachinko machine 10 body, and a light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light to the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 can shift the front surface of the tip portion 658 of the third illumination unit 303, which is illuminated by the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607, between a first position and a second position, so that the impression of the front side of the gaming machine can be changed according to the change in the position of the front surface of the tip portion 658 of the third illumination unit 303. The pachinko machine 10 includes a displacement detection sensor 668 that can detect the shift of the front surface of the tip portion 658 of the third illumination unit 303, so that the shift of the front surface of the tip portion 658 of the third illumination unit 303 can be recognized. The pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a control mechanism 608 that executes a first control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to emit light from the front of the tip 658 located at the first position as the first light-emitting region 605 when it is detected that the front of the tip 658 has shifted to the first position, and executes a second control to cause the light irradiated from the light irradiating device 607 to emit light from the front of the tip 658 and the base end 659 located at the second position as the second light-emitting region 606 when the front of the tip 658 has shifted to the second position. Therefore, the light-emitting region can be suitably changed by recognizing the shift of the front of the tip 658 of the third illumination unit 303 and optimizing the direction of light irradiation according to the shift of the front of the tip 658. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (J1) above.

In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, the light-emitting area is changed in the process of replacing the third illumination unit 303 with the separate third illumination unit 604, but the light-emitting area may be changed without replacing the third illumination unit 303 or the separate third illumination unit 604. The following description will be given with reference to FIG. 118. The following description will be given using the separate third illumination unit 604 as an example.

Figures 118(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the state before and after the change in the light-emitting area of the third illumination cover 610 of Example 33.

The separate third illuminated cover 610 has the same shape as the separate illuminated cover 610 of Examples 23 to 26, but differs from the separate illuminated cover 610 of Examples 23 to 26 in that the light-emitting area on the front side of the separate third illuminated cover 610 can be changed by changing a predetermined area (light-receiving area) on the front side of the separate third illuminated cover 610 that receives light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607.

The structure of the control mechanism 608 of the third separate illumination cover 610 is different from that of the third separate illumination cover 610 of Examples 23 to 26. Specifically, the structures of the push-in portion 616 and the push-in receiving portion 617 are different, and in particular, the push-in portion 616 is designed to be able to adjust the amount of pushing.

The protrusion 616a of the pushing part 616 is divided into a tip part 671 and a base part 672, and the base part 672 is attached so as to be movable in the front-rear direction of the pachinko machine 10 along the inner surface of the separate third electric cover 610. The tip part 671 is configured to be able to slide vertically from the base part 672. Specifically, the base part 672 of the pushing part 616 is attached to a front-rear slide rail 673 formed on the inner surface of the separate third electric cover 610, and is configured to be able to slide in the front-rear direction. In addition, the tip part 671 of the pushing part 616 is attached to a vertical slide rail 674 formed on the outer surface of the base part 672, and is configured to be able to slide in the up-down direction. As a result, the protrusion amount (height) and the front-rear position of the protrusion 616a of the pushing part 616 can be changed (adjusted) by a worker at the hall or the like before attaching the separate third electric cover 610.

The push-in receiving portion 617 is also formed so as to be able to receive the push-in of the push-in portion 616 over a wider range than in Example 23, depending on the amount of protrusion of the protrusion 616a of this changeable push-in portion 616 and its position in the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the tilt angle of the light irradiation device 607 increases and the position of the second light-emitting region 606 becomes higher as the amount of protrusion of the protrusion 616a of the push-in portion 616 is increased and the position in the front-to-rear direction is adjusted further rearward.

As a result, when using the separate third illumination cover 610, if it is desired in a certain hall to have light emitted from a higher point on the front side of the separate third illumination cover 610, the protrusion amount of the push-in portion 616 of the separate third illumination cover 610 can be increased or the position in the fore-and-aft direction can be adjusted further rearward to increase the tilt angle of the light irradiation device 607 and raise the position of the second light-emitting area 606, thereby meeting the specific needs of each hall.

As described above, the pachinko machine 10 of this Example 33 is equipped with a separate third illumination unit 604 disposed on the front side of the main body of the pachinko machine 10, and a light irradiation device 607 that irradiates light toward the back side of the separate third illumination unit 604. The pachinko machine 10 is capable of shifting a predetermined area (light receiving area) of the separate third illumination unit 604 that receives light irradiated from the light irradiation device 607 to a different position, so that the impression of the front side of the pachinko machine 10 can be changed according to the change in the position of the predetermined area of the separate third illumination unit 604. When the predetermined area is located at the first position, the control mechanism 608 executes a first control to cause the predetermined area located at the first position to emit light as the first light-emitting area 605 with the light emitted from the light-emitting device 607, and when the predetermined area is located at the second position, the control mechanism 608 executes a second control to cause the predetermined area located at the second position to emit light as the second light-emitting area 606 with the light emitted from the light-emitting device 607. Therefore, the light-emitting area can be suitably changed by optimizing the light irradiation direction according to the transition of the predetermined area (light-receiving area) of the third illumination unit 604. This is also an example of the gaming machine described in (H00) above.

This invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but may be implemented in other configurations that provide similar effects, for example as follows:

[1] In the above-mentioned Example 1, the ending countdown information 44v is displayed descriptively, such as "Ending time: X seconds remaining", but is not limited to this. Another example of the ending countdown information 44v is a timer image showing numerical information. Since the player can know that the ending period has begun by looking at the ending screen 44j, the player can know that the ending time is counting down simply by displaying the timer image. This allows the ending screen 44j to be displayed in a cohesive manner. Another example is to represent the ending time as a bar graph, and replace it with a seek bar that visually shows the remaining time of the ending time by showing the current position on the bar graph-like bar.

In addition, in Example 1, the countdown information 44v counted down the ending time, but it may also count down the time of the jackpot round game state including the ending period. In other words, it may count down from the start of the jackpot round game or a midway point to the end timing of the ending period.

[2] In the above-mentioned Example 1, an example has been given in which the right-hit-during-ending information 44k, the next game state approach information 44l, and the ending countdown information 44v are displayed together as the "not-yet-arrival suggestion information" of the present invention, but each of these may be displayed alone as the "not-yet-arrival suggestion information", or a combination of the two may be displayed as the "not-yet-arrival suggestion information".

[3] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the "predetermined game state" of the present invention is a jackpot round game state, and the "next game state" is a high probability/support state after the jackpot round game state, etc., but the "predetermined game state" and the "next game state" may be other game states. For example, the "predetermined game state" may be an advantageous game state such as a high probability/support state for a number of plays, and the "next game state" may be a game state after the advantageous game state ends (for example, a normal game state).

[4] In the above-mentioned Example 1, the "specific operation" of the present invention is a volume adjustment operation, but the "specific operation" may be another operation. For example, if the player can select a character image to appear in the display performance, and the period during which the selection can be made is set during high-speed fluctuation or during a jackpot round game state, the operation of selecting the character image is also included in the "specific operation" of the present invention.

[5] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, during the period in which the "specific operation" of the present invention is permitted, the specific operation period information 44a is displayed. However, it is also possible to display the specific operation period end approaching information 44e at a predetermined timing without displaying the specific operation period information 44a.

[6] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, pressing the decision button 81 on the normal screen 43a, demo screen 43b, high-speed fluctuation screen 43c, opening screen 43h, round screen 43i, ending screen 43j, etc. switches these screens to the specific operation screen 44b, but it may be configured so that pressing the left selection button 82 or right selection button 83 separate from the decision button 81 switches these screens to the specific operation screen 44b. In this case, the player is informed in advance that a specific operation can be performed by pressing any of the frame buttons 80 while the specific operation period information 44a ("volume change possible") is displayed. This is intuitive and easy to understand, and reduces the chance of failing to perform a specific operation.

Also, by bringing a hand close to a predetermined area of the display screen 42a in accordance with the timing when the specific operation period information 44a ("Volume can be changed") is displayed on the display screen 42a, these screens may be switched to the specific operation screen 44b. For example, information such as "Bring your hand close to the screen to change the volume" may be displayed on the display screen 42a. This makes it more intuitive and easy to understand, and reduces the chance of failing to perform the specific operation.

[7] In the above-described embodiment, for example, as in the ending presentation pattern shown in FIG. 58, the display time of each piece of ending information (next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forgetting prevention information 44y, addiction prevention information 44z) was the same, such as 5 seconds or 10 seconds, but may be different times. For example, next game state suggestion information 44w is 6 seconds, card removal forgetting prevention information 44y is 8 seconds, and addiction prevention information 44z is 10 seconds. In addition, even if the ending information is the same type, the display time of the ending information may be changed for each specified condition. For example, there is an example in which the display time of the ending information is changed depending on the length of the fluctuation time.

[8] In the above-described embodiment, for example, as in the ending presentation pattern shown in FIG. 58, each piece of ending information is displayed in a fixed order (roughly in the order of next game state suggestion information 44w, manufacturer information 44x, card removal forgetting prevention information 44y, and addiction prevention information 44z). However, a pattern may be provided in which the display order of ending information with the same display time is changed, for example, by displaying next game state suggestion information 44w last or card removal forgetting prevention information 44y first.

Note that ending information with the same display time does not necessarily have to have exactly the same display time, but may have similar display times as long as they are within the range permitted by the production. In this case, the display order of the ending information can be changed by extending the shortfall in display time or reducing the excess display time within the range permitted by the production.

[9] In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, a top lamp such as the third illumination unit 304 was used as an example of the light-emitting area of the decorative cover disposed on the front side of the gaming machine body, but it may also be a side lamp such as the first illumination unit 301 or the second illumination unit 302. It may also be another lamp that constitutes the front frame set 14.

[10] In the above-mentioned Examples 27 to 30, the movable illumination unit 305 is disposed on the rear side of the right edge of the opening of the center frame 37 as an example of the light-emitting area of the decorative cover of the movable illumination unit 305. However, the movable illumination unit 305 may be disposed on the rear side of the left edge of the opening of the center frame 37, or may be disposed on the upper edge of the opening of the center frame 37. In addition, the movable illumination unit 305 may be one that is always exposed in whole or in part at the right edge, left edge, or upper edge of the opening of the center frame 37.

[11] In the above-mentioned Examples 27 to 30, the movable illumination unit 305 was arranged on the center frame 37, but the movable illumination unit 305 may be arranged at a location other than the center frame 37 of the game board 30 and be visible, or may be arranged on the inner frame 12 or the movable display unit 35 and be visible through an opening in the center frame 37.

[12] In the above-mentioned Examples 27 to 30, the light irradiation device 707 that irradiates the movable illumination unit 305 with light is a light-emitting substrate, but it is also possible to use something other than a light-emitting substrate that irradiates light. For example, it is also possible to use light irradiated from the third pattern display device 42 to illuminate the decorative cover of the movable illumination unit 305.

[13] In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, the control of the light irradiation device 607 is posture control for setting the irradiation angle of the light irradiated from the light emitting substrate 611 to the first irradiation angle, or irradiation area control for setting the irradiation area of the light irradiated from the light emitting substrate 611 to the first irradiation area. However, it may be irradiation distance control for changing the irradiation distance between a predetermined point (e.g., center point) of the first light emitting region 605 or the second light emitting region 606 and a predetermined point (e.g., center point) of the light emitting substrate 611.

[14] In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 33, the irradiation means rotates (pivots), tilts, and moves left and right, but it may be capable of at least one of bending, curving, stretching and shrinking, and moving forward and backward. In addition, the irradiation area can be easily adjusted by bending if the structure allows bending with a hinge or the like, curving if the substrate is flexible, or stretching and shrinking if the structure allows stretching and shrinking with a sliding mechanism or the like. It may also be possible to easily adjust the irradiation distance by moving forward and backward.

[15] In the above-mentioned Examples 23 to 26, in regard to the input portion of the control means, the push-in portion 616 is a protrusion and the push-in receiving portion 617 is a surface that receives it. However, conversely, the push-in portion 616 may be a surface and the push-in receiving portion 617 may be a protrusion that contacts the surface.

[16] In the above-mentioned Examples 24 and 28, the light-transmitting plates 631, 731 have been used as examples of a configuration for controlling the state of light by something other than a light irradiation means. However, the state of light may also be controlled by tilting or rotating a reflective member that reflects light.
[17] The present invention may be implemented in various types of gaming machines (e.g., first type, third type, etc.), or in a type of pachinko machine different from the above embodiment. For example, the present invention may be implemented as a pachinko machine (commonly called a two-time right machine or a three-time right machine) in which the expected value of a jackpot is increased until a jackpot state occurs multiple times (e.g., two or three times) including the first jackpot. In addition, the present invention may be implemented as a pachinko machine in which a special gaming state is entered when a ball enters a predetermined area after a jackpot pattern is displayed. In addition, the present invention may be implemented as a pachinko machine in which a special gaming state is entered when a ball enters a predetermined winning hole. In addition to pachinko machines, the present invention may be implemented as various gaming machines that use game balls such as arranged ball type pachinko and mahjong balls.

[18] As long as each of the means for carrying out the invention, the inventions described in the embodiments, and the inventions described in the variations described above are not mutually exclusive, they may be modified, substituted, deleted, or combined as appropriate.

As described above, the present invention is suitable for gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

30 ... Game board 30a Game area 70 Main control device (main control device)
30 Game board 32 Variable winning device 32a Big winning port 33a Start winning device for special pattern 1 33b Start winning device for special pattern 2 34 Start port for normal pattern 35 Variable display unit 36 Out port 40 First pattern display device 41 Second pattern display device 42 Third pattern display device 43a Normal screen 43b Demo screen 43c High-speed fluctuation screen 43d Left pattern stop screen 43e All patterns stop screen 43f Normal reach display screen 43g Development reach display screen 43g-1 Strong light flashing screen 43h Opening screen 43i Round screen 43j Ending screen 43k High probability state screen 43l Reach display screen during high probability state 44a Information during specific operation period 44b Specific operation screen 44c Change information display section 44d Operation method display section 44e: Information on approaching the end of a specific operation period 44e1: Information on approaching the end of a first specific operation period 44e2: Information on approaching the end of a second specific operation period 44f: Opening information 44g: Information on explanation of right-hitting during opening 44h: Information on right-hitting during a round 44i: Information on the number of rounds 44j: Ending information 44k: Information on right-hitting during an ending 44l: Information on approaching the next game state 44l1: First approaching the next game state 44l2: Second approaching the next game state 44l3: Third approaching the next game state 44l4: Fourth approaching the next game state 44l5: Fifth approaching the next game state 44m: Right-hitting information during a high probability/support state 44n: Bonus video 44o: Information on preventing gazing at light 44p: Bonus information 44q: Information with setting suggestion 44v: Ending countdown information 44w: Information on suggestion of next game state 44x Manufacturer information 44y Card removal prevention information 44z Sticking prevention information 44z1 First sticking prevention information 44z2 Second sticking prevention information 300 Illumination part 301 First illumination part 302 Second illumination part 303 Third illumination part 305 Movable illumination part 602 Transition mechanism 603 Slide groove 604 Separate third illumination part 605 First light-emitting area (first light-emitting area)
606 Second light emitting region (second light emitting region)
607 Light irradiation device (irradiation means)
608 Control mechanism (control means)
609 3rd illumination cover (decorative cover)
610 Separate third decorative cover (separate decorative cover)
611 Light emitting substrate (light emitting substrate)
612 LED
613 Substrate support part 614 Input part (input means)
615 Output section (output means)
616 Push-in portion 617 Push-in receiving portion 618 Shaft 619 Coil spring 620 Main body side fixed portion 621 Position regulating portion 630 Light transmitting portion (light transmitting means)
631: light-transmitting plate; 632: light-transmitting plate support portion; 641: separate cover detection sensor (detection means)
642 Tilting motor 643 Separate cover detection protrusion 650 Separate third illumination cover 651 Partial light-emitting area 642 Non-light-emitting area 703 Movable illumination part 705 First light-emitting area (first light-emitting area)
706 Second light emitting region (second light emitting region)
707 Light irradiation device (irradiation means)
708 Control mechanism (control means)
709 Movable illumination cover (decorative cover)
710 Driving mechanism 711 Light emitting substrate 712 LED
713 Substrate support part 714 Input part (input means)
715 Output section (output means)
716 Push-in portion 717 Push-in receiving portion 718 Shaft 719 Coil spring 721 Position regulating portion 730 Light transmitting portion (light transmitting means)
731: light-transmitting plate; 732: light-transmitting plate support portion; 741: displacement detection sensor (detection means)
742 Rotation motor 750 Movable illumination unit (light guide plate)
751 Partial light-emitting region 752 Non-light-emitting region 753 Light-guiding plate light-emitting portion 754 Partial light-emitting portion 755 Non-light-emitting portion

Claims (1)

The inner frame and
A gaming machine having a front frame that can be freely opened and closed relative to the inner frame,
The gaming machine includes:
a cover portion disposed forward of the irradiating means so as to cover the irradiating means and capable of transmitting the irradiated light ;
The light is irradiated from the irradiating means to the cover portion, and the irradiated light is transmitted through the cover portion and is visible to a player positioned in front of the front frame.
The gaming machine includes:
At least the cover portion is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position,
In a situation where the cover part is moved to the first position, the cover part moved to the first position by the light irradiated from the irradiating means is irradiated in a first irradiated manner , and in a situation where the cover part is moved to the second position, the cover part moved to the second position by the light irradiated from the irradiating means is irradiated in a second irradiated manner different from the first irradiated manner ,
the first position and the second position are positions separated from each other when viewed from the front of the gaming machine,
The gaming machine includes:
The cover portion is configured to be able to transition from the first irradiated state to the second irradiated state while facing the front side of the front frame.
A gaming machine characterized by:

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