Game machine and game program

• US 20040127282A1
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Naobayashi, Hiroshi
• Application Number:
  US10/678,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127282A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

The present invention provides a game machine and game program that includes a display module providing, at a start of a game, a changing display wherein a plurality of symbols statically displayed in a plurality of display regions is changed to various symbols in a continuously changing manner and a static display wherein the symbols being displayed in a changing manner are displayed again in a static manner in the display regions; an evaluation module evaluating whether symbols establishing a win are statically displayed on a win line selected ahead of time on the display module; a moving indicator on the display module; and a control module controlling game progress and emphasizing the win line when the win is established by moving the indicator along the win line. The game machine and game program of the present invention displays established wins in a manner that is easy to understand.

Claims

1. A game machine comprising:

a display module providing, at a start of a game, a changing display wherein a plurality of symbols statically displayed in a plurality of display regions is changed to various other symbols in a continuously changing manner and a static display wherein said symbols being displayed in said changing manner are displayed again in a static manner in said display regions;

an evaluation module evaluating whether symbols establishing a win are statically displayed on a win line selected ahead of time on said display module;

an indicator moving on said display module; and

a control module controlling progress of said game and emphasizing said win line when said win is established by moving said indicator along said win line.

2. The game machine as described in claim 1, wherein said indicator is a frame surrounding a boundary line of at least one of said display regions.

3. The game machine as described in claim 2, wherein said control module performs control operations to keep a frame in an emphasized state on said display module after said indicator has passed said frame, said frame in said emphasized state surrounding a boundary line of a display region displaying one of said symbols that are statically displayed on said win line and associated with said win.

4. The game machine as described in claim 1, wherein:

said symbols being statically displayed on said win line comprise said symbols establishing a win and other symbols;

said control module controls said display module so that said other symbols that are statically displayed on said win line are displayed in an obscured state, after said indicator has passed said other symbols.

5. The game machine as described in claim 1, wherein said control module performs control operations so a trail of said indicator is displayed on said display module.

6. The game machine as described in claim 1, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on a payout value of said established win.

7. The game machine as described in claim 6, wherein said control module performs control operations to display said indicator according to said characteristic set up according to said payout value of said established win.

8. The game machine as described in claim 1, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on said win line.

9. The game machine as described in claim 8, wherein said control module performs control operations to display said indicator according to said characteristic set up according to said win line.

10. The game machine as described in claim 1, wherein said control module selects a direction and a speed of motion for said indicator moving along said win line according to a game situation.

11. The game machine as described in claim 1, wherein said control module performs control operations providing a replay display of movement of said indicator.

13. The game machine as described in claim 2, wherein:

said symbols that are statically displayed on said win line comprise said symbols establishing a win and other symbols;

said control module controls said display module so that said other symbols that are statically displayed on said win line are displayed in an obscured state, after said indicator has passed said other symbols.

14. The game machine as described in claim 3, wherein:

said symbols that are statically displayed on said win line comprise said symbols establishing a win and other symbols;

said control module controls said display module so that said other symbols that are statically displayed on said win line are displayed in an obscured state, after said indicator has passed said other symbols.

15. The game machine as described in claim 2, wherein said control module performs control operations so a trail of said indicator is displayed on said display module.

16. The game machine as described in claim 3, wherein said control module performs control operations so a trail of said indicator is displayed on said display module.

17. The game machine as described in claim 4, wherein said control module performs control operations so a trail of said indicator is displayed on said display module.

18. The game machine as described in claim 2, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on a payout value of said established win.

19. The game machine as described in claim 3, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on a payout value of said established win.

20. The game machine as described in claim 4, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on a payout value of said established win.

21. The game machine as described in claim 5, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on a payout value of said established win.

22. The game machine as described in claim 2, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on said win line.

23. The game machine as described in claim 3, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on said win line.

24. The game machine as described in claim 4, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on said win line.

25. The game machine as described in claim 5, further comprising at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator is selected based on said win line.

12. A computer-readable medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for providing a game, said method comprising the steps of:

outputting, to a display module of a game machine, a signal for providing a changing display wherein a plurality of symbols statically displayed in a plurality of display regions is changed to various other symbols in a continuously changing manner and a static display wherein said symbols being displayed in said changing manner are displayed again in a static manner in said display regions;

evaluating whether at least one predetermined symbol, of said symbols being statically displayed, are positioned on a win line selected ahead of time; and

outputting another signal to display an indicator along said win line and to move said indicator along said win line if said evaluation determines that said predetermined symbols are positioned on said win line.

26. A method for providing a game, said method comprising the steps of:

providing, at a start of said game, a changing display on a display module wherein a plurality of symbols statically displayed in a plurality of display regions is changed to various other symbols in a continuously changing manner;

providing a static display wherein said symbols being displayed in said changing manner are displayed again in a static manner in said display regions;

evaluating whether symbols establishing a win are statically displayed on a win line selected ahead of time on said display module;

moving an indicator on said display module; and

emphasizing said win line when said win is established by moving said indicator along said win line.

27. The method as described in claim 26, wherein said indicator is a moving frame surrounding a boundary line of at least one of said display regions.

28. The method as described in claim 27, further comprising the step of keeping in a frame in an emphasized state on said display module, after said indicator has passed said frame, said frame in said emphasized state surrounding a boundary line of a display region displaying one of said symbols that are statically displayed on said win line and associated with said win.

29. The method as described in claim 26, further comprising the step of displaying other symbols that are statically displayed on said win line in an obscured state, after said indicator has passed said other symbols, wherein said symbols that are statically displayed on said win line comprise said symbols establishing a win and said other symbols.

30. The method as described in claim 26, further comprising the step of displaying a trail of said indicator on said display module.

31. The method as described in claim 26, further comprising the step of selecting at least one characteristic from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator based on a payout value of said established win.

32. The method as described in claim 31, further comprising the step of displaying said indicator according to said characteristic set up according to said payout value of said established win.

33. The method as described in claim 26, further comprising the step of selecting at least one characteristic from the group consisting of a shape, a shading pattern, and a color of said indicator based on said win line.

34. The method as described in claim 33, further comprising the step of displaying said indicator according to said characteristic set up according to said win line.

35. The method as described in claim 26, further comprising the step of selecting a direction and a speed of motion for said indicator moving along said win line according to a game situation.

36. The method as described in claim 26, further comprising the step of providing a replay display of movement of said indicator.