Gaming machine, game control method and game system

Abstract

A gaming machine according to the present invention comprises output means capable of outputting an image or a sound, winning combination determination means for determining a winning combination by a lottery, means for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination, means for, when the number of games reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with the number of games, generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state, and means for notifying by outputting an image or a sound with the output means, after the number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than the set value, a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach the set value, each time a game is played.

1 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 output means capable of outputting an image or a sound;    winning combination determination means for determining a winning combination by a lottery;    means for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination;    means for, when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state; and    means for notifying by outputting an image or a sound with said output means, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       2 . A gaming machine connected through a communication line to a control device which counts the number of games accumulatively for every gaming machine of plural gaming machines, comprising: 
 output means capable of outputting an image or a sound;    winning combination determination means for determining a winning combination by a lottery;    means for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination;    means for transmitting identification information of the gaming machine to said control device through said communication line each time a game is played;    means for receiving a command signal transmitted from said control device when said number of games counted accumulatively by said control device based on said identification information of the gaming machine reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games;    means for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state, based on said command signal;    means for receiving, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, a preliminary announcement command signal transmitted from said control device each time a game is played; and    means for notifying, based on said preliminary announcement command signal, a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, by outputting an image or a sound with said output means.    
   
   
       3 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 output means capable of outputting an image or a sound;    winning combination determination means for determining a winning combination by a lottery;    means for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination;    means for counting accumulatively the number of games each time a game is played;    means for determining whether or not said number of games has reached a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games;    means for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state, when said number of games is determined to have reached said set value; and    means for notifying by outputting an image or a sound with said output means, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , 
 further comprising:    means for setting said number of games to a predetermined number when said first special game state is generated.    
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine according to  claim 4 , 
 wherein    said means for generating said second special game state generates a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a degree of advantage corresponding to said set value is determined when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and that is selected from plural candidate values stepwise determined in advance; and    said means for notifying said counting value notifies information about the stage of the set value related to the concerned notification, by including the information in the content of notification.    
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine according to  claim 4 , 
 wherein    said means for generating said second special game state generates a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a degree of advantage corresponding to said set value is determined when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and that is selected from plural candidate values stepwise determined in advance; and    said means for notifying said counting value notifies, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, and which said predetermined value is larger with larger said set value, a counting value each time a game is played.    
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein    said means for generating said second special game state generates, when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and that is selected from plural candidate values stepwise determined in advance, a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a larger degree of advantage is determined with said number of games reaching a larger set value.    
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein    reception means that can accept for one game an insertion of game media up to a predetermined upper limit value is provided, and said means for generating said second special game state generates a second special game state in a case where the number of inserted game media for the game played by the player is equal to said upper limit when said number of games reaches said set value.    
   
   
       9 . A control device connected with plural gaming machines through a communication line comprising: 
 means for receiving identification information of the gaming machine from said gaming machine through said communication line, each time a game is played;    means for accumulatively counting the number of games, based on said identification information of the gaming machine;    means for receiving from said gaming machine through said communication line, when the first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player is generated, a reset signal which shows that the first special game state has been generated;    means for setting said number of games to a predetermined number when receiving said reset signal;    means for transmitting, when said number of games reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, a command signal for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a degree of advantage corresponding to said set value is determined; and    means for transmitting a preliminary announcement command signal so that said gaming machine can notify, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       10 . A gaming machine equipped with a processing device, a storage device and an image or sound output device, wherein 
 said processing device executes:    a processing determining one winning combination selected from plural winning combinations determined in advance by executing a lottery program stored in said storage device;    a processing reading from said storage device a program for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination, and executing said program;    a processing reading from said storage device a program for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state when the number of games counted accumulatively each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and executing said program; and    a processing reading from said storage device, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, notification data for notifying a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, and outputting an image or a sound with said output device based on said notification data, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       11 . A gaming machine equipped with a processing device, a storage device and an image or sound output device, and connected through a communication line to a control device which counts the number of games accumulatively for every gaming machine of plural gaming machines, wherein 
 said processing device executes:    a processing determining one winning combination selected from plural winning combinations determined in advance by executing a lottery program stored in said storage device;    a processing reading from said storage device a program for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination, and executing said program;    a processing transmitting identification information on a gaming machine stored in said storage device to said control device through said communication line each time a game is played;    a processing receiving a command signal transmitted from said control device when said number of games counted accumulatively by said control device based on said identification information on the gaming machine reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games;    a processing reading from said storage device, based on said command signal, a program for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state, and executing said program;    a processing receiving, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, a preliminary announcement command signal transmitted from said control device each time a game is played; and    a processing reading from said storage device, based on said preliminary announcement command signal, notification data for notifying a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, and outputting an image or a sound with said output device based on said notification data.    
   
   
       12 . A gaming machine equipped with a processing device, a storage device and an image or sound output device, wherein 
 said processing device executes:    a processing determining one winning combination selected from plural winning combinations determined in advance by executing a lottery program stored in said storage device;    a processing reading from said storage device a program for generating a first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player when the determined winning combination is a special winning combination, and executing said program;    a processing counting the number of games accumulatively each time a game is played;    a processing determining whether or not said number of games has reached a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games;    a processing reading from said storage device, when said number of games is determined to have reached said set value, a program for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player and which is the same type as, or a different type from the first special game state, and executing said program; and    a processing reading from said storage device, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, notification data for notifying a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, and outputting an image or a sound with said output device based on said notification data, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       13 . The gaming machine according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein    said processing device executes a processing setting said number of games to a predetermined number when said first special game state is generated.    
   
   
       14 . The gaming machine according to  claim 13 , 
 wherein    said processing device executes:    a processing reading from said storage device, when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and that is selected from plural candidate values stepwise determined in advance, a program for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a degree of advantage corresponding to said set value is determined, and executing said program; and    a processing reading from said storage device notification data for notifying information about the stage of the set value related to the concerned notification by including the information in the content of notification, and outputting an image or a sound with said output means based on said notification data.    
   
   
       15 . The gaming machine according to  claim 13 , 
 wherein    said processing device executes:    a processing reading from said storage device, when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and that is selected from plural candidate values stepwise determined in advance, a program for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a degree of advantage corresponding to said set value is determined, and executing said program; and    a processing reading from said storage device, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, and which said predetermined value is larger with larger said set value, notification data for notifying a counting value, and outputting an image or a sound with said output device based on said notification data, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       16 . The gaming machine according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein    said processing device executes a program for generating, when the number of games accumulatively counted each time a game is played reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, and that is selected from plural candidate values stepwise determined in advance, a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a larger degree of advantage is determined with said number of games reaching a larger set value.    
   
   
       17 . The gaming machine according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein    said processing device executes a program for generating said second special game state when said number of games reaches said set value in a case where the number of inserted game media for a game played by the player is the upper limit value of the number of game media to be inserted for one game.    
   
   
       18 . A control device provided with a processing device and connected with plural gaming machines through a communication line, wherein 
 said processing device executes:    a processing receiving identification information of the gaming machine from said plural gaming machines through said communication line, each time a game is played;    a processing accumulatively counting the number of games, based on said identification information of the gaming machine;    a processing receiving from said plural gaming machines through said communication line, when the first special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player is generated, a reset signal which shows that the first special game state has been generated;    a processing setting said number of games to a predetermined number when receiving said reset signal;    a processing transmitting, when said number of games reaches a set value that is an object of comparison with said number of games, a command signal for generating a second special game state that is a game state advantageous to a player, and in which a degree of advantage corresponding to said set value is determined; and    a processing transmitting a preliminary announcement command signal so that said plural gaming machines can notify, after said number of games has reached a set value for preliminary announcement which is smaller by a predetermined value than said set value, a counting value which shows the required number of games to reach said set value, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       19 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 means for giving a profit to a player according to the number of games played by the player; and    means for notifying to the player that said profits according to said number of games will be given, by performing a countdown with an image or a sound, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       20 . A game control method comprising: 
 a step for giving a profit to a player according to the number of games played by the player; and    a step for notifying to the player that said profits according to said number of games will be given, by performing a countdown with an image or a sound, each time a game is played.    
   
   
       21 . A game system equipped with a gaming machine and a control device, wherein 
 said control device includes:    means for transmitting a signal to said gaming machine according to the number of games played in said gaming machine by a player,    and said gaming machine includes:    means for giving profit according to said number of games based on said signal received from said control device; and    means for notifying to the player that said profits according to said number of games will be given, by performing a countdown with an image or a sound, each time a game is played.