MahJong Tradition

_ Been waiting a long time for a real Mah Jong to show up for Mac instead of just tile matching variants; basically since Mah Jong Parlor. But i must agree that the user interface is really pretty horrible! -- The "skins" or "themes" are all kind of soft focus, chunky, and just plain strange. There isn't even a good plain ordinary looking one. -- Way too much quick flashy movement even when on slow, making it confusing figuring out what's being moved where. -- Doesn't allow viewing discarded tiles. -- Control buttons placed to the sides so that you have to either use keyboard shortcuts, or zoom the mouse to the edge. This is Mac. Where's the drag and drop? I first learned to play Mah Jong by trying to piece together rules from several old very poor english translations of rules. I was fascinated by there being so many rather esoteric rules, variations, and interesting ways to make plays and score. This has only 4 very straight-forward simple variations and includes no scoring other than winning a round or game. Also, where Mah Jong seems like a rather formal and stately game with strategy and skill playing as large a role as luck, there's no choice here but to have the computer do virtually everything for you and at rapid pace making it feel like a children's version. No special hands. No special rules for dragons. No flowers or special rules for them. No scoring (as i mentioned). Asian terminology pared to minimum. When i finally learned about the National Mah-Jongg League and it's rules i was disappointed in the degree of "Americanization", but this is ridiculous. I might as well be playing "Bejeweled"! Has about the same feel. Suggestions: ============ Add scoring. Add as many rule variations from around the world as possible, including presets for well known rule sets. Make skinning the game relatively easy for users. Net play is an obvious step. But first, rethink this gruesome UI!!

Did not allow pung for discard matching an existing pair. Did not allow Mahjong for completing a sequence (with an existing hidden chow and pair). Occasionally does not allow a chow for discard of previous seat. I have played with many rule-sets, but malfunctions of this program are extraordinary --- profoundly STUPID. minor objection: does not retain a display of previous discards

End of the road for this?

Finally, a true Mahjong with RULES! Awesome! However, it crashed when I accidentally pressed CONTINUED when there wasn't a previous game recorded. Just thought you should know...

_ Game play and options have been improved significantly over version 1.3 - the last time i checked in. It could still use far more variations and traditional terminology for less of an Americanized feel. I've not had any problems with crashes, but there are display glitches. After playing several games, when i returned to options, the text on pull-downs was sagging off the bottom, and when i clicked them, the menus appeared too low also, and detached. I'm still not thrilled with the UI by any means. Graphics are just odd and not particularly eye-catching or pleasing. The highlight animations are distracting, and the sounds are a bit annoying. With system volume only half-way up, the staccato clack of pieces was ear piercing through headphones unless game volume was also less than half-way up. Over all, while reasonably playable, MahJong Tradition has a late alpha feel to it instead of the solid unified tone of a $20 final version. .

As the only true Mahjongg game available for the Mac, this is a welcome addition to Mac-based games. One major bug, however: the game often misses potential Chows and bypasses me without giving me the chance to declare them. This is so even when I have precedence, as when no other player wants the tile, and one time, even when the chow would have allowed me to Mahjongg (the highest precedence of all). I've tested this repeatedly and in different ways, such as playing an All-Chow game. Even tho' precedence was now turn-based (no Pungs or Kongs allowed), the game didn't notice Chows available in my tray even when I was next in turn. I've been trying to determine if there is a pattern to the missed Chows. For example, are the missed ones always the middle tile in the sequence (I have a 5 and 7 coins, and the discard is the 6-coin). But no, the program has missed middle and end tiles. The bug is intermittent-- it does catch some chows -- but frequent enough to occur several times in each games. So for now, I'm playing All-Pung games, which so far, the app has never missed. Once this problem has been fixed, we'd have a true-blue Mahjongg game for the Mac.

I for one am very happy with MJT. There have been several real MJ games for Windows, and as someone mentioned there was Shanghai Dynasty for Classic OS; but this is the first OS X version I can remember seeing. As someone who has never physically played MJ outside of a computer, I must say I've learned a lot about the game from watching this one play. I disagree with those who say the UI is bland or gruesome. It could be better; this is v 1.4. The gameplay could be improved, I'm sure. V 1.4. The graphics problems and the tile designs and the speed settings and the discarded tiles... VERSION 1.4!! Come on, people, don't beat up on the guy for an imperfect product. It's a good base on which to build. Try contacting the guy with ideas. He's proven to be quite receptive and very pleasant to exchange emails with.