Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention rela-tes ~o a games playir~y
apparatus.
There is described in United Kingdom patent
specification No. ~ 444 A games playing apparatus,
in the form of an amusement machine, on which a
dominoes game can be played between a player and the
machine. The machine described in detail therein is a
microprocessor-based machine employing a video screen
for presentation of the state of play to the player.
However, in games playing apparatus variable displays
can be provided in various other ways, such as by means
of reels or disks, flip-card units, cards or
illuminated symbols.
The appara~us described in specification No.
2 118 444 A is of a type comprising dominoe-allotting
means whereby from a notional set of dominoes certain
dominoes can be allotted to the player and certain
dominoes to the apparatus for a game to be played,
means whereby the player can in his turn select from
those allotted to him (i.e. his "hand~3 a dominoe to be
played next, means whereby the apparatus can in its
turn select from those allotted to it (i.e. its "handn)
a dominoe to be played next, and means whereby there
can be displayed (i.e. face up) to the player
representations o-f the dominoes allotted to the player
and to the apparatus and of the state of play as play
proceeds, and games playing apparatus of this type is
referred to hereinafter as apparatus of the kind
hereinbefore defined.
In patent specification No. 2 118 444 A two
suggestions are made as regards the allocation of hands
of dominoes to thc player and to the machine or a
game. According to a first suggestion, the machine is
programmed to select the two hands by random se~ection
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(from a notional conventional set of twenty-eight
dominoes), there being no player invvlvement in the
selection. In an alternative proposal, the player is
able to select dominoes for himself from the set one at
a time, the machine being programmed to make selections
for its own hand alternately with the player.
It is an object of the present invention to
provide improved games playing apparatus.
Accordingly, the invention provides
in one of its aspects,
Games playing apparatus on which a dominoes game
can be played between a player and the apparatus, the
apparatus comp-ising dominoe~allotting means whereby
from a notional set of dominoes certain dominoes can be
selected face-up by the player and certain dominoes
allotted to the apparatus for a game to be played,
means whereby the player can in his turn select from
those allotted to him a dominoe to be played next,
means whereby the apparatus can in its turn select from
those allotted to it a dominoe to be played next, and
display means whereby there can be displayed face-up to
the player representations of the dominoes allotted to
the player and to the apparatus and of the state of
play as play proceeds, the domino-allotting means
comprising means whereby from a register of notional
pairs of hands of dominoes a selection of pairs can be
chosen by the apparatus for presentation by -the display
means to the player, and means whereby the player can
select from the pairs presented to him one pair with
which the game is to be played.
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For example, the apparatus may be arranyed to
choose (perhaps from many hundreds of available pairs
recorded in the register) a selection of four pairs of
hands for the player to make his choice~ Where, for
example, four pairs of hands are presented they are, in
a preferred arrangement, presented as four single hands
together with an indication to the player as to which
of the other three hands the apparatus will play for
each of the four hands which may be chasen by the
player; such an arrangement amounts, of course, to the
presentation by the apparatus of four predetermined
pairs of hands from which the player is able to choose
any one pair.
It is to be clearly understood that the term
"register", as used in the last two preceding
paragraphs, is not intended to be in any way limitative
as to the manner in which or the means whereby the
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available notional pairs of hands are recorded, or as
to the manner in which or the means whereby the
dominoe-allottiny means is able to choose thexe~rom a
selection oE pairs for presentation to a player.
It is also to be understood that whilst it may be
preferred that the dominoe representations presented by
the apparatus be of a traditional spot count form,
other forms of dominoe (e.g. picture dominoes) could be
presented.
There now follows a detailed description, to be
read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an
amusement machine and its use which illustrate the
lS invention by way of example.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a view of the front of the machine
and
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a colour monitor
of the machine presenting four pairs of hands of
dominoes from which a player can choose.
The machine is for the playing of a dominoes game
; and is microprocessor-controlled. It comprises a
colour monitor 10 for the presentation of a variable
display of dominoe representations to a player.
The machine r comprising computer software for its
operation, comprises dominoe-allotting means whereby a
hand of dominoes can be allotted to the player and a
hand of dominoes to the machine for a game to be
played. The machine comprises means recording a
register of many hundreds of notional pairs of hands of
dominoes suitable for games to be played; the pairs of
hands are chosen, a5 likely to give relatively evenly
matched games, from a notional traditional set of
twenty-eight spot-count dominoes. The
dominoe-allotting means comprlses means whereby the
machine can choose from the register a plurality of
pairs of hands for presentation (on the monitor 10) to
an intending player, and means comprising four selector
buttons 12 whereby the player himself can select from
the pairs presented to him one pair with which the game
is to be played. The machine further comprises means
comprising seven move buttons 14 whereby the player can
in his turn select from his hand a dominoe to be played
next, and means whereby the machine can in its turn
select from its hand a dominoe to be played next.
Means of the machine whereby there can be displayed to
the player pictorial representations of the two hands
and of the state of play as play proceeds comprises the
colour moni-tor 10.
The machine resembles in construction a modern
fruit machine, utilising the colour monitor 10 for its
means of display. Coin entry slots 16 and 18 are
provided for the insertion of coins and digital
displays 20 and 22 indicate the value of credit lie.
initially the total from coins inserted by the player)
and the value staked for a game, respectively.
With the machine switched on without credit, the
monitor displays in an attract mode. This consists of
the name 'Domino Skill' being drawn, then a display of
28 dominoes displayed face up and split into four hands
of seven dominoes each (as in E'igure 1, and see also
Figure 2). These hands, selected by the machine from
the register, are marked A, B, C and D. These two
"attract mode" displays alternate while the machine is
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out of credit. It is to be noted that the four hands
of dominoes so displayed do not change without a game
being played; even if the machine were to be switched
off and then on again, the same four hands would
reappear. Only after a game has been played does the
machine make a fresh selection of hands from the
register.
When a player inserts coins into the machine,
utilising the coin entry slots 16 and 18, the amount
inserted is displayed on the credit display 20. Any
number of coins may be inserted. At this time, the
monitor 10 displays the four hands of the attract mode
and invites the player to 'press stake select, or
collect'. E~en at this time, but before the player
makes his stake, he may collect all the credits that
have been inserted. Assuming the player wishes to play
he presses a 'stake select' button 24 which causes
credits- to be taken from the credit display 20 and
inserted on to the stake display 22. Any amount may be
placed on to the stake. The player then presses a
start button 26. He is then asked to select hand A, B,
C or D. From information displayed by the machine, he
knows that according to whichever hand he chooses, the
machine will respond with a certain hand as follows - A
plays B, B plays C, C plays D, D plays A. Therefore
the player is effectively presented with pairs of hands
to choose from, and so always knows which hand he will
be playing against. The player selects his hand, e.g.
A, by use of the appropria~e one of the buttons 12
provided, the machine taking hand B. The player's hand
is then presented (still face up) along the bottom o~
the monitor 10. The machine's hand transfers (still
face up) to the top of the monitor. The machine then
considers both hands to see who possesses the highest
double. This decided, the side wi-th the highest double
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is entitled to move first with a dou~le tnot
necessarily the highest). E~'or example should the
player hold the double six he will place this lor any
other double), by means of the appropriate move
button 14, and this goes to the centre of the
monitor 10. It is now the machine's turn to place one
of its dominoes, and it does so.
The game itself now follows the rules of that form
of the traditional game of dominoes known as 'run-out'
but, of course, all the dominoes are face up. The
state of play is presented continuously on the
monitor 10. Play continues alternately between the
players until ~a) one side has no playable domino and
so has to "knockn - he misses his ~urn in favour of the
other side, (b) one side gets all his dominoes out he
so wins that game, (c) both sides knock - the side with
the lowest spot count on his remaining dominoes so
wins, or (d1 both sides knock and the spot count is
equal - a drawn game and a further game is played with
new hands.
If the player wins, his stake is transferred back
on to the credit display 20 and an amount equal to the
stake is also added. If he loses, the stake returns to
zero, ie. the machine retains the players' original
stake. ~ If after winning or losing the player wishes to
collect his credits, this he can do at the end of any
game by pressing a 'collect' button 28.
Each dominoe of the player's hand has its own
illuminated move button 14 for the purpose of playing
that individual domino~ There also exists a placemen-t
button 30 enabling the player to place his chosen
dominoe left or right of play.
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There exists a stake repeat button 32 80 that the
player may ~for speed) place his stake on his next yame
equal to the stake on his previous game.
During the presentation of the four hands in the
attract mode, the selection of hands and the playing
of the dominoes, the dominoes are at all times shown
face up. At all times all the facts are known to the
player and continue to be known for the entire duration
of the game.
All payouts go on to the credit display 20 and may
be collected in full at the end of any game.
All wins pay even money only.
