Japanese Mahjong on the plane

[Dee]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

On a recent trip to Japan, I noticed that there is a Japanese MJ game
available for the passengers to play (this is ANA, All Nippon
Airline). Since I don't read/understand Japanese, I was not very
successful in playing it. But many Japanese passengers were playing
the game all through the 11-hour flight.

It did show a publisher name in the opening screen, but I did not
remember it (I think it starts with Ak...). So Tom, where would these
games fit in the FAQ? Anybody else seen or played this or similar
games on flights to/from Japan?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

From: d_lau@my-deja.com (Dee)

>On a recent trip to Japan, I noticed that there is a Japanese MJ game
>available for the passengers to play (this is ANA, All Nippon
>Airline). ...
>
>It did show a publisher name in the opening screen, but I did not
>remember it (I think it starts with Ak...). So Tom, where would these
>games fit in the FAQ?

The FAQ lists games that fellow English-speaking players worldwide would be
able to download and play on their PCs. There's no way in hell I would ever
accept the responsibility of trying to document each and every mah-jongg
program playable on each and every conceivable hardware platform since
electronic games began! It's called an "FAQ" - not a "A2EPQ" (Answer 2
Every Possible Question)! (^_^)

>Anybody else seen or played this or similar
>games on flights to/from Japan?

I produced a tile-matching game that is apparently still being used on
cross-Pacific flights. (^_^)

Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

"Tom Sloper" <tomster@sloperamaNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:S2Iic.17643$YP5.1284958@attbi_s02...
> From: d_lau@my-deja.com (Dee)
>
> >On a recent trip to Japan, I noticed that there is a Japanese MJ game
> >available for the passengers to play (this is ANA, All Nippon
> >Airline). ...
> >
> >It did show a publisher name in the opening screen, but I did not
> >remember it (I think it starts with Ak...). So Tom, where would these
> >games fit in the FAQ?

[skip]
>
> >Anybody else seen or played this or similar
> >games on flights to/from Japan?
>
> I produced a tile-matching game that is apparently still being used on
> cross-Pacific flights. (^_^)

This is an interesting topic to me - Mahjong games onboard air flights.
Could Dee confirm further if the game you played was a tile matching game, a
traditional mahjong game (4 players game)? Did it appear to be connected to
other players (e.g., via Internet or within the same airplane), or just a
program of a single computer or device?

Cofa Tsui
www.iMahjong.com

 

[Dee]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

"Cofa Tsui" <cofatsui@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<F1Kic.235927$Pk3.117119@pd7tw1no>...
> This is an interesting topic to me - Mahjong games onboard air flights.
> Could Dee confirm further if the game you played was a tile matching game, a
> traditional mahjong game (4 players game)? Did it appear to be connected to
> other players (e.g., via Internet or within the same airplane), or just a
> program of a single computer or device?

Sorry, Cofa. You should know by now that when I say MJ, I mean the
4-player game. I would never call the tile-matching game MJ.

Any way, this version on All Nippon Airline (ANA) is one player
against 3 computer players. There was at least one section where you
were have to answer questions (since I can't read Japanese, I did not
do very well in this section, but my guess is that some questions
relate to "what tile do I need to go out" or "how many points does
this hand score"). There was about 16 computer players to choose
from, each with detailed descriptions of his/her skills,
birthday/birth place, how many years playing MJ and so on. (I
couldn't figure out how to skip the introduction and so I had to sit
through this part several times before I finally figured out how to
start a game.)

There may be other options to connect with other players on the plane,
but I didn't notice any Japanese players doing so. There were many
options that can be set, but because I didn't know what they were, I
just use the default. But many times, I couldn't figure out what to
do because I couldn't read Japanese. There was one hand where I got
all four green dragons and I couldn't do a kong, so I discarded one of
them and another player won (guess what hand -- yep, the "13-wonders")
and I lost many points.

The AI seems to prefer a "clear-front," and the majority of the wins
was by "gee more" (which sounds the same as the Chinese). I don't
know if this is the typical Japanese preference. Many times I
couldn't go out because I didn't have the minimum points to go out.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

Just for info ...
Singapore Airlines also has Mahjong for passengers on its inflight
entertainment system. You can play with other passengers at the same time.
They also have a Mahjong set available in their duty-free catalogue -
there's a neat detail about it: the usual bird on the one bamboo tile is
replaced by an SIA logo.
Regards,
Keng Ho
"Dee" <d_lau@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:bc999a91.0404242105.72a6adf0@posting.google.com...
> On a recent trip to Japan, I noticed that there is a Japanese MJ game
> available for the passengers to play (this is ANA, All Nippon
> Airline). Since I don't read/understand Japanese, I was not very
> successful in playing it. But many Japanese passengers were playing
> the game all through the 11-hour flight.
>
> It did show a publisher name in the opening screen, but I did not
> remember it (I think it starts with Ak...). So Tom, where would these
> games fit in the FAQ? Anybody else seen or played this or similar
> games on flights to/from Japan?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

From: d_lau@my-deja.com (Dee)

>Any way, this version on All Nippon Airline (ANA) is one player
>against 3 computer players. There was at least one section where you
>were have to answer questions (since I can't read Japanese, I did not
>do very well in this section, but my guess is that some questions
>relate to "what tile do I need to go out" or "how many points does
>this hand score").

That part of the game was asking you about your preferred table rules for
Japanese-style mah-jongg. I'm sure you did fine (not that you would have
known which table rules you were asking for).

>There was about 16 computer players to choose
>from, each with detailed descriptions of his/her skills,
>birthday/birth place, how many years playing MJ and so on. (I
>couldn't figure out how to skip the introduction and so I had to sit
>through this part several times before I finally figured out how to
>start a game.)

Yeah, that's a pain. Just gotta try various things until you figure out
which ones mean "okay already, just let me play! Sheesh!" (^_^)

>There may be other options to connect with other players on the plane,
>but I didn't notice any Japanese players doing so.

My guess is that you were only able to play against A.I. opponents - these
airline games are usually straight from the console (not from the PC). Back
in 1999 (last time I was actively involved in making online mah-jongg PC
software in Japan) online play hadn't yet caught on with Japanese PC
players. Maybe by now it has, but that wouldn't necessarily extend into
airline gaming systems.

>There were many
>options that can be set, but because I didn't know what they were, I
>just use the default. But many times, I couldn't figure out what to
>do because I couldn't read Japanese. There was one hand where I got
>all four green dragons and I couldn't do a kong, so I discarded one of
>them and another player won (guess what hand -- yep, the "13-wonders")
>and I lost many points.

There must have been a way to kong it. I too have been frustrated by my not
being able to read kanji.

>The AI seems to prefer a "clear-front," and the majority of the wins
>was by "gee more" (which sounds the same as the Chinese).

The Japanese pronunciation is "tsumo."

>I don't
>know if this is the typical Japanese preference. Many times I
>couldn't go out because I didn't have the minimum points to go out.

Yes, you have to have a 1-fan minimum (but for all I know, you selected a
2-fan minimum game) - and of course you have to be familiar with the
Japanese fan system.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.mahjong (More info?)

"Tom Sloper" <tomster@sloperamaNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:NLXic.34090$w96.2426631@attbi_s54...
> From: d_lau@my-deja.com (Dee)
>
[...]
>
> >There were many
> >options that can be set, but because I didn't know what they were, I
> >just use the default. But many times, I couldn't figure out what to
> >do because I couldn't read Japanese. There was one hand where I got
> >all four green dragons and I couldn't do a kong, so I discarded one of
> >them and another player won (guess what hand -- yep, the "13-wonders")
> >and I lost many points.

Dee, it might just be good for you... In HKOS, if you discarded, you paid
only your portion. If that winner selfmade, he/she got from every player and
you'd then have to pay double as much as if you were to lose by discard.
Perhaps in Japanese rules it wouldn't make any difference (?).

>
> There must have been a way to kong it. I too have been frustrated by my
not
> being able to read kanji.

Just wonder if there are any *common or standardized icons* in the computer
or game design industry to represent those fundamental moves (win, kong,
discard, etc.) of the game?

Cofa Tsui
www.iMahjong.com