Gaming Machine And Control Method Thereof

Abstract

A gaming machine is provided with a plurality of balls B, B . . . , on which plural kinds of symbols are arranged, respectively. Each of the balls B is rotatably supported by a ball receptacle 12. Where a player operates a start button, each of the balls B is driven by a vertical motor 31 and a horizontal motor 32, and changeably rotates in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and an oblique direction. Further, each of the balls B stops, whereby any one of the symbols that were arranged on each of the balls B stops in an activated area 12 a. Where the symbols having stopped in the activated areas 12 a, 12 a . . . , are specific symbols, a prize is awarded to the player. As the result thereof, plural kinds of symbols can be rotationally moved intricately, the player cannot readily predict which of the symbols stops in the activated area 12 a, and can perform a game while maintaining a sense of tension.

1 . A gaming machine, comprising:
 a plurality of balls, on which plural kinds of symbols are arranged, respectively;   a ball receptacle for rotatably supporting each of the balls;   a driving device for changeably rotating each of the balls in at least a first direction and a second direction;   an accepting section for accepting an operation of starting rotation of the plurality of balls; and   a processor, which executes processes of:   (a) randomly determining a symbol in correspondence with each of the balls in a case where the accepting section accepts the starting operation;   (b) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls starts rotation;   (c) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls continuously rotates while changing a rotational direction;   (d) controlling the driving device to stop the rotation of each of the balls, in a state in which the symbol determined in the process (a) is positioned in an activated area corresponding to each of the balls; and   (e) awarding a prize corresponding to specific symbols, in a case where the symbols having stopped in the activated area are the specific symbols.   
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a table storing therein a rotation pattern which is indicative of a change in a rotational direction of each of the balls, wherein:
 the process (c) is a process of controlling the driving device so that each of the balls continuously rotates while changing the rotational direction in accordance with the rotation pattern stored in the table.   
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a detecting section for detecting vertical direction of the symbols arranged on each of the balls, wherein:
 the process (d) is a process of controlling the driving device in accordance with a detection result of the detecting section to stop the rotation of each of the balls, in a state in which the symbols determined in the process (a) are positioned in the activated area in a posture in which the vertical direction of the symbols coincides with a vertical direction of the gaming machine.   
   
   
       4 . A gaming machine, comprising:
 a plurality of balls, on which plural kinds of symbols are arranged, respectively;   a ball receptacle for rotatably supporting each of the balls;   a driving device for changeably rotating each of the balls in at least a first direction and a second direction;   an accepting section for accepting an operation of starting rotation of the plurality of balls;   a table storing therein a rotation pattern which is indicative of a change in a rotational direction of each of the balls; and   a processor, which executes processes of:   (a) randomly determining a symbol in correspondence with each of the balls in a case where the accepting section accepts the starting operation;   (b) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls starts rotation;   (c) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls continuously rotates while changing a rotational direction in accordance with the rotation pattern stored in the table;   (d) controlling the driving device to stop the rotation of each of the balls, in a state in which the symbol determined in the process (a) is positioned in an activated area corresponding to each of the balls; and   (e) awarding a prize corresponding to specific symbols, in a case where the symbols having stopped in the activated area are the specific symbols.   
   
   
       5 . A gaming machine, comprising:
 a plurality of balls, on which plural kinds of symbols are arranged, respectively;   a ball receptacle for rotatably supporting each of the balls;   a driving device for changeably rotating each of the balls in at least a first direction and a second direction;   an accepting section for accepting an operation of starting rotation of the plurality of balls;   a detecting section for detecting vertical direction of the symbols arranged on each of the balls; and   a processor, which executes processes of:   (a) randomly determining a symbol in correspondence with each of balls in a case where the accepting section accepts the starting operation;   (b) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls starts rotation;   (c) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls continuously rotates while changing a rotational direction;   (d) controlling the driving device in accordance with a detection result of the detecting section to stop the rotation of each of the balls, in a state in which the symbol determined in the process (a) is positioned in an activated area corresponding to each of the balls, in a posture in which the vertical direction of the symbols coincides with a vertical direction of the gaming machine; and   (e) awarding a prize corresponding to specific symbols, in a case where the symbols having stopped in the activated area are the specific symbols.   
   
   
       6 . A control method of a gaming machine which comprises: a plurality of balls, on which plural kinds of symbols are arranged, respectively; a ball receptacle for rotatably supporting each of the balls; a driving device for changeably rotating each of the balls in at least a first direction and a second direction; and an accepting section for accepting an operation of starting rotation of the plurality of balls, said method including the steps of:
 (a) randomly determining a symbol in correspondence with each of balls, in a case where the accepting section accepts the starting operation;   (b) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls starts rotation;   (c) controlling the driving device so that each of the balls continuously rotates while changing a rotational direction;   (d) controlling the driving device to stop the rotation of each of the balls, in a state in which the symbol determined in the step (a) is positioned in an activated area corresponding to each of the balls; and   (e) awarding a prize corresponding to specific symbols, in a case where the symbols having stopped in the activated area are the specific symbols.