Amiga CD-Sensation: Golden Games/Amiga CD-Sensation - Ausgabe 2 - Golden Games (1996)(GTI - Schatztruhe)(DE)[!].iso/Brain Activity/MJJR/MJ_JR.doc

Text File | 1994-05-09 | 14KB | 305 lines

Ma Jong Jr. V1.0
Copyright 1992-94 Danny Y. Wong   All rights reserved.

This program is shareware.  If you like this program please register
your copy by sending $15.00 US to:

Danny Y. Wong
131 64 Ave NW
Calgary, Alberta
T2K 0L9 Canada


                                     MJJR/Wong/2
Description
   This is a scaled down version of the Chinese Ma Jong game.
There are only two players (you and the computer) instead four
players.  All the rules applied.  This game is more like a
trainer to prepare you for the real game.  This version is the
simplest and technical stuffs are omitted.

Getting Started

   Ma Jong Jr. requires 512K CHIP memory and workbench 1.2 or
higher.  To start Ma Jong Jr. double click the Ma Jong Jr. icon
if you are in workbench or type in MJ_JR in CLI.
   If you multitask with other applications and switched back to
Ma Jong Jr. you might not get the correct display, if this occurs
use the (Left-Amiga-M) combinations.

Introduction

   There are five groups of tiles in Ma Jong:
   1 -- Circles (1-9)
   2 -- Bamboos (1-9)
   3 -- Millions (characters) (1-9)
   4 -- Rich, Blank, Red Middle
   5 -- Flowers (4 red and 4 blue)

   Tiles in groups 1 to 4 have four of kind each and flowers have
only one of a kind.  Flowers do not contribute to the game
except when doing counting, if a player picks a flower she/he
will be awarded a new tile.  There are a total of 144 tiles in Ma
Jong.

Ma Jong Objective
                        MJJR/Wong/3

   The objective of Ma Jong is to win the game before any other
player. To do so you must make runs, matches or gongs and have a
pair to win the game.  A tie is considered when all 144 tiles is
taking from the deck.
A Run
   A run is considered when you have three tiles in sequential
order and belongs to the same group.  It must be three tiles for
a run.
   eg:  C1 C2 C3   B6 B8 B9 . . .
   C = Circles,  B = BAMBOOS
   Circles 1, 2 and 3 are considered a complete run because they
are in sequential order.  As oppose to Bamboos 6, 8 and 9 these
three tiles are incomplete because 6 and 8 are not sequential.
A Match
   A match is when you have a three of kind and of course they
must belong to the same group.  It must be three tiles for a
match.
   eg: N N N  C1 C9 C9 . . .
   N= NORTH,  C=CIRCLES
   In this case we have a complete match because we have three of
a kind north, but an incomplete match for circles because we only
have pair.
A Gong
   A gong is when ever you have four of a kind.
   A gong can be accomplished if you have 3 of a kind and the
computer just threw out the 4th one or you have 3 of a kind
                        MJJR/Wong/4
(match) downed and just picked up the 4th one.
   eg: C3 C3 C3 C3  . . .
   4 of a kind C3 in your hand.
   eg: C3 C3 C3    <-- these 3 tiles are downed
   if you have a match and picked up or have the 4th tile that
matches the 3 downed tiles, you can call a gong which will let
you have a new tile.
Downed Tiles
   Downed tiles is when you take the tile that a player just
threw out to make a run, match or a gong and placed the matching
tiles face up on the table.  These tiles are opened so other
players can see plus the downed tiles can not be used in the same
game.

Lets Go  (for WorkBench 1.x users ONLY)

   Once Ma Jong Jr. is loaded you will be greeted with a note
about Ma Jong Jr., press any mouse button to exit the about
screen.   Next you will be prompted with a tile set selection
screen, to play the Classic tile set, press the LEFT mouse
button, and to play the Sports tile set, press the RIGHT mouse
button.

Lets Go (for WorkBench 2.x users ONLY)

  If you have WorkBench 2.0 or later, Ma Jong will use the new
tools.  Once Ma Jong is loaded, a file requester will pop up
asking you if you want sound or not.  Select the cycle gadget for
MED modules, FX or none.  Select Play to play Ma Jong or Quit to
exit back to the environment.
                            MMJR/Wong/5
  A second requester will be displayed if you have chosen MED
modules. Select a song to play or simply choose any file if you
do not want a song.  The last requester prompts you for a Ma Jong
tile set.  The tiles you selected must be a Ma Jong tile set,
otherwise the requester will not go away.
Playing Area
   The game is made up of a table and it's located in the middle
of the screen and two sets of tiles one on top of the table and
one on the bottom of the table.  The discarded tiles will be
shown on the table and is for you to review and make decisions.
   Your tiles are on top of the table and the computer are on the
bottom of the table.  A tile counter in located on the top left
of the table. This tile counter reminds you how many tiles are
already gone. There are 144 tiles in Ma Jong.
   On the right side of the screen is the main menu.  This menu
controls the game as a player.   Next left to the main menu, you
will found the current tile.  This tile represents your new tile
and the discarded tile that the computer throws out.  This tile
will be the same as the 14th tile in your hand when you select
New Tile option.

Tiles

   As you already aware there are 144 tiles in Ma Jong and each
tile is distinguished by it's unique graphic display.  The tile
in Ma Jong is all Chinese and for people who are unfamiliar with
Chinese, you can distinguish each group of tiles and number by
studying the right hand corner of each tile.  This number tells
                            MJJR/Wong/6
you what number it is and what group it belongs by its colored.
For example in the Classic set:
    Circle is denoted by a red colored number
    Bamboo is denoted by a blue colored number
    Chars  is denoted by a green colored number
    Direction is noted by N, E, W, S  (North, East, West, South)

Viewing

   Since the playing table is larger than the screen, you must
scroll back and forth to view your and the computer's tiles.   To
scroll to the right, move the mouse to the far right, and to
scroll to the left move the mouse the the far left of the screen.
To scroll up and down, simply move the mouse to the top and
bottom of the screen respectively.

Tile Selection

   As you will note you have 13 tiles and a new tile which all
are located on top.  This is your hand and you control the
ordering and grouping of all your tiles.  You can swap any two
tiles by simply selecting the tiles and they will be swap in
positions.  Note that the 14th tile can not be selected because
this is the tile you picked up and it is not in your hand yet,
you must keep it first before manipulating it.  Also note that
when you select a tile, a white underscore is drawn on that tile,
this just to indicate that the tile has been selected.  Your new
tile will be indicated by a blue underscore.  If the underscore
doesn't show up, then try moving the mouse to a different spot
and try again. Selected tiles can not be selected again.

                        MMJR/Wong/7
Menus

   There are 10 options and are as follows:
   New Tile -- this option lets you pick a new tile from the
               deck.  When you select this option, a new tile
               will be given to you and will be shown on the
               right hand side of your tiles.  You can keep this
               tile or drop it.
      Keep  -- option lets you keep the new tile you just
               picked from the deck.  When you select this
        option, you must go and select a tile you wish to
       discard from you own tiles.
      Drop -- this option will discard the new tile you just
              picked up.  This is the tile that you do not want
              to keep.
      Take -- this option will take the tile that the computer
              just threw out.  When you select this option, you
              must now select two tiles to match or to make a run
              and a third tile to discard.  Your selected tiles
              can be in any order but they must belong to the
              same group except for the discarded tile.
      Gong -- gong is when you have three of a kind and want to
              take the new tile or the computer discarded tile.
              In any case you must have all four of a kind in
              order to gong.  When you successfully gong, you are
              awarded a new tile which you can keep or drop.
       Win -- win is when you have all your tiles matched, gonged
                        MJJR/Wong/8
              or in sequenced.  When you select win, move you
              pointer to the position where you want the winning
              tile to go and press the left button mouse.
      Sort -- sort will sort your tiles in sequential order by
              groups.  If after the sort you do not like the
              ordering of your tiles, you can simply swap any
              tiles by selecting any of your two tiles.
   Restart -- abort the current game and restart a new game.
     About -- give an message about Ma Jong Jr.
      Quit -- abort game and return the workbench or CLI.

  All options and menus are selectable except when there is a
red x beside it.  These options are not selectable.
   Note: if you selected an option by mistake, just simply select
the right option again.  This only works if you have not selected
and hilighted any tiles.  If you selected one tile in a TAKE then
simply select the second tile from a different group if you do
not want to take.  Eg: if you want to take a Circle and decide it
not to after hilighting a Circle tile, then just select a none
Circle tile like Bamboo and the third tile (discarded) won't make
a different because there will not be a complete match.

Winning

   When you think you can win then select the win option.  Once
you selected this option the pointer will be changed to WIN
indicating a try to win.  In order to win you must have your
tiles in runs or matches and they must be in order and you must
have a pair.
                        MJJR/Wong/9
   eg:  C3 C4 C5  CH7 CH8 CH9  W W  B6 B7 B8  C1 C3
                                                ^
   C=CIRCLES, CH=CHARS, W=WEST, B=BAMBOOS
   Suppose you have the above hand, everything is in order and
sequenced.
   As you already know you need a circle 2 to win.  You already
have a pair (WEST).  When you select a circle 2 or the computer
throws out a circle 2, you would normally select take or keep
option to take or keep the tile but since you are attempting to
win, you would select the win option.  Once you have selected
win, now move the pointer to your tiles between C1 and C3 which
in this case is C3 because you want C2 to fit between C1 and C3
and press the left button.  If you successful then you win
otherwise you will not be allowed to win.
   One important note to remember is that the winning checking
routine doesn't check all possible winning combinations.
Therefore you must rearrange your tiles in the following fashion.
      eg:  C4 C4  C4 C5 C6 . . .
      a C4 pair and C4 C5 C6 run
      This example will treat your tiles as a  C4 match and C5
C6, and not a C4 pair and a run. To avoid the confusion, simply
rearrange the tiles to:
      eg: C4 C5 C6  C4 C4
   If for some reason you are not allowed to win then you might
have your tiles in the wrong order, to correct it simply
rearrange them in different order.  Note: when rearrange, the
                        MJJR/Wong/10
tiles must be sequenced and grouped.

Edit Ma Jong Tiles

    A sketelon tile set can be found in the "Tiles" directory.
This tile set is completely new meaning that there is no graphics
what so ever on it. You as the creator can design your own
graphics as your own tile set in the game by using the MJCON
program to convert your designs into a Ma Jong
Jr. tile set.
   To start your own design simply load the 'skeleton.tiles' file
by using any IFF paint program.  Once the file is loaded you can
go ahead and edit your own designs.  Take note that there is
numbers from 1 to 9 across the top.  These numbers indicate the
tile number.  When you are done editing make sure you put the
number that correspond to the tile into your own tile set.  This
number is just a reference number.  If you omitted it, then you
might have a hard time figuring out what the tile it is.  As well
there is the direction tiles labelled (E, S, W, N), R (RED), B
(BLANK), R(RICH), and the Red and Blue flowers on the bottom.

   The file you saved must be a 3 bitplane 8 colored IFF file.

You can change the color if you wish.
NOTE: DO NOT ALTER ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT FOR THE TILES OTHERWISE
THE FILE  MAY NOT BE CONVERTED PROPERLY.
Hints on Design

   The designing of the tiles in time consuming but the final
results tells the story.  A good editing technique is to use the
zoom function in your paint program.  Copy one blank tile from
                        MJJR/Wong/11
the skeleton tile set into the spare page.   Do your work in the
spare page, when you are done with the tile, copy it back to the
original page.
   When designing for a group make sure that the design is unique
for that group and that the design should be the same for all 9
tiles.
   When you are done with all the tiles.  A good finishing touch
is to use anti-aliase, this gives a clearer look.  To do that,
switch to your spare page and clear it, now switch back to your
work, copy the first group of tiles.  Select Anti-Aliases option
and stamp the tiles down on the spare page, clear the
anti-aliases option and copy the tiles back to the original page.
You could have done it in one step by selecting the anti-aliases
option, copy a group of tiles and stamp it back down on the
original page.  The use of the spare page is if you are not
satisfied then your can always redo.

  Save your work and use MJCON program to convert your newly
designed tiles into Ma Jong Jr. data file.
  The traffic IFF picture file is included as an example.