Gaming machine in which a bet is made on a character movement at each unit game

Abstract

A gaming machine includes: a common display device that displays a route made of a plurality of continuous frames; a plurality of game terminals; a bet input portion that is provided in each of the game terminals, for placing a bet in each unit game; a number-of-movements determining portion that determines by means of random numbers a number of frames, in a case where a bet is placed; a number-of-movements display portion that displays the number of the frames; a character movement portion that moves the character in accordance with the number of the frames in the route; an event executing portion that executes an event associated with the frame at which the character stops; and a prize awarding portion that awards a prize in accordance with a result of the event.

1 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a common display device that displays a route made of a plurality of continuous frames;   a plurality of game terminals;   a bet input portion that is provided in each of the game terminals, for placing a bet in each unit game;   a number-of-movements determining portion that determines by means of random numbers a number of frames to which a character corresponding to the game terminal moves in the route, in a case where a bet is placed via the bet input portion of the game terminal;   a number-of-movements display portion that displays the number of the frames that is determined by the number-of-movements determining portion in the common display device and/or the game terminal;   a character movement portion that moves the character in accordance with the number of the frames that is determined by the number-of-movements determining portion, in the route that is displayed on the common display device;   an event executing portion that executes an event associated with the frame at which the character stops; and   a prize awarding portion that awards a prize in accordance with a result of the event that is executed by the event execution portion.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein,
 in the route, a plurality of continuous frames are disposed in a linear manner,   in the frames, symbols associated with an event to be executed when the character stops at the frame are arranged,   the common display device rearranges the symbols with a predetermined timing, and scroll-displays the route with movement of the character by the character movement portion.   
     
     
         3 . The gaming machine according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises: a route data storage portion that stores route data indicating the route; and a route data update portion that updates the route data, 
 the common display device displays a part of the route; and 
 the route data update portion changes a non-display route portion other than a portion that is displayed on the common display device, in the route, with a predetermined timing. 
 
     
     
         4 . The gaming machine according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the route data update portion changes the non-display route portion in each unit game.   
     
     
         5 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein
 the bet input portion is configured so as to be directly operated by a player, 
 the gaming machine comprises an operation strength detecting portion that detects a strength of the operation of the player for the bet input portion, and 
 the number-of-movements display portion displays the number of movements determined by the number-of-movements determining portion in a manner according to the strength of the operation of the player that is detected by the operation strength detecting portion. 
 
     
     
         6 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises a route data storage portion that stores the route data indicating the route, 
 the route includes a branch frame and a merge frame, 
 a plurality of branch routes is included between the branch frame and the merge frame, 
 a branch route including a high payment zone and a branch route including a low payment zone are provided in the plurality of branch routes; 
 a maximum value of a prize that a player can acquire in the high payment zone is set to be greater than a maximum value of a prize that a player can acquire in the low payment zone, and 
 an expectation value of the prize in the high payment zone is set to be substantially equal to an expectation value of the prize in the low payment zone. 
 
     
     
         7 . The gaming machine according to  claim 6 , wherein
 each of expectation value rates of prizes in the entire routes is smaller than 100%.   
     
     
         8 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein
 the event executing portion determines a result of the event by means of another random number that is different from the random numbers that the number-of-movements determining portion employs. 
 
     
     
         9 . The gaming machine according to  claim 8 , wherein,
 in a case where the character stops at a predetermined frame and a condition for generating an event of a type of which a predetermined plurality of players can participate is established, the event executing portion executes the event of a type of which the plurality of players can participate, the event enabling the character and another character that is different from the character to participate therein, and determines a result of the event by means of a random number other than the random numbers that the number-of-movements determining portion employs, in the event of a type of which the plurality of players can participate.   
     
     
         10 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein
 the route includes a branch frame and a plurality of branch routes that extend from the branch frame, 
 the gaming machine comprises: an option display portion that displays an option of the branch route in a case where the character corresponding to the game terminal moves to the branch frame; and a route selection command input portion that is provided in each of the game terminals, for inputting a command for selecting the branch route to which the character moves, by an operation of a player, and 
 the character movement portion moves the character on the branch route according to the command input via the route selection command input portion. 
 
     
     
         11 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises: a route data storage portion that stores the route data indicating the route; and a liquidation processing portion that performs the liquidation processing, 
 the route has a start frame, and 
 the character movement portion moves the character corresponding to the game terminal to the start frame in a case where a command for the liquidation is input via the liquidation command input portion of the game terminal and then liquidation processing is performed by the liquidation processing portion. 
 
     
     
         12 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises a route data storage portion that stores the route data indicating the route, 
 the route has a start frame and a goal frame, and 
 the character movement portion moves the character to the start frame in a case where the character stops at the goal frame. 
 
     
     
         13 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises: a route data storage portion that stores the route data indicating the route; and a credit input portion that is provided in each of the game terminals, for inputting a credit, 
 the route data storage portion stores plural types of route data, and 
 the common display device displays the route based on any one of the plural types of route data, and displays the route based on another item of route data in accordance with the input of the credit via the credit input portion. 
 
     
     
         14 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  13 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises a participation command input portion that is provided in each of the game terminal, for inputting by an operation of a player a command of whether or not to participate in an event of a type of which a plurality of player can participate, the event enabling a plurality of the game terminals to participate therein, and 
 in a case where the character stops at a predetermined frame and a condition for generating an event of a type of which a predetermined plurality of players can participate is established, the event executing portion executes the event of the type of which the plurality of players can participate, causes the game terminal corresponding to the character to participate in the event of a type of which the plurality of players can participate, and causes a game terminal inputting a command for participation in the event of the type of which the plurality of players can participate via the participation command input portion in the event of the type of which the plurality of players can participate, among other game terminals that are different from the game terminal. 
 
     
     
         15 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  14 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises a number-of-credits storage portion that stores the number of credits of a player for each of the game terminals, 
 the event executing portion executes the event of the type of which the plurality of players can participate, in a case where the character stops at a predetermined frame and a condition for generating an event of a type of which a predetermined plurality of players can participate is established, 
 the event of the type of which the plurality of players can participate is an event in which the game terminal corresponding to the character participates and another game terminal that is different from the game terminal can participate, and 
 the prize awarding portion awards a prize to the game terminal winning the event of a type of which the plurality of players can participate, while all or part of the number of credits of the game terminals participating in the event of the type of which the plurality of players can participate is employed as a fund. 
 
     
     
         16 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises: an accumulation portion that accumulates part of a bet from each of the game terminals as a progressive fund; and a progressive payout portion that awards all or part of the progressive fund to the game terminal corresponding to the character in a case where a game progress state defined based on a position and/or a movement process of the character in the route meets a progress payout condition. 
 
     
     
         17 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  16 , wherein
 the common display device provides in each of the frames a display relating to an event to be performed in a case where the character stops at each of the frames, and 
 the event executing portion executes an event that is different from a content of a display before determining the number of movements of the character in a frame at which the character stops, in a case where a predetermined event change condition is established. 
 
     
     
         18 . The gaming machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  17 , wherein
 the gaming machine comprises a character selection command input portion that is provided in each of the game terminals, for inputting by an operation of a player a command for selecting one character for a player to use in a game, and 
 the number-of-movements display portion provides a display by means of a language associated with the character that is selected by the command input via the character selection command input portion.