(CR) Saki

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by einhorn303

As someone who's main tabletop gaming is in Magic: the Gathering and similar card games, that sounds vaguely like cheating.

Aren't we talking about Mahjong cheating? =/
Yes, it's cheating.

[Quarkboy]

You know, with the advent of tiny microLCD screens, it would be cheaper almost to make a set of tiles where the pictures on them would shuffle themselves instead of build such a giant mechanical table.

You build the wall, hit a button, and they scramble themselves in the wall automatically.

[whitepearl]

Originally Posted by Bonta Kun

ok I've never seen Akagi(I'm thinking I should check it out) but how does possiblly manipulate the order?

I've seen enough games to know that unless one has x-ray vision its pretty damn hard to set it up in ones favor

unless someones able to tell the tiles apart, kinda like counting cards cause then if ur able to do that better off counting cards then

There was a trick mentioned in that anime called the caterpillar, where a player shuffles the end tiles on the wall and swaps the top with the bottom. He keeps doing this so he can find a more favorable tile.

Also, it's possible (with lots of practice) to memorize which tiles are on the wall you build. Having a machine shuffle the tiles takes that element of guessing away.

[qmeister]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

You know, with the advent of tiny microLCD screens, it would be cheaper almost to make a set of tiles where the pictures on them would shuffle themselves instead of build such a giant mechanical table.

Power supply would be a problem, unless you plan on using mercury batteries like for watches, but that is subject to environmental concerns... Same thing with flexible LCD playing cards.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by qmeister

Power supply would be a problem, unless you plan on using mercury batteries like for watches, but that is subject to environmental concerns... Same thing with flexible LCD playing cards.

Put a small rechagable battery in each tile with a metal contact on the back of the tile, then have the carrying case double as a charger. One tiny LCD would take up little power, especially with no backlight. The goal would be a set around like, ~$2000-4000 or so, so I think it could be done.

Actually, wait, put the metal contact on the SIDES of each tile. Then when they are lined up in the case they'd make a complete circuit and you could charge an entire row at once.

[Duo Maxwell]

I wonder how can they cover the entire tournament just in 13 eps. I mean, it haven't ended yet even at volume 5, and based on ANN, they said it's only 13 eps.

[qmeister]

Originally Posted by Duo Maxwell

I wonder how can they cover the entire tournament just in 13 eps. I mean, it haven't ended yet even at volume 5, and based on ANN, they said it's only 13 eps.

ANN said Sora Kake Girl was 13 eps as well, until about the time ep 9 came out. It's best to rely on ANN after a show is over, not during. I'm sure there'll be more than enough time.

[paTKany]

Originally Posted by Duo Maxwell

I wonder how can they cover the entire tournament just in 13 eps. I mean, it haven't ended yet even at volume 5, and based on ANN, they said it's only 13 eps.

Saki is confirmed for 24-26 episodes on Gonzo/GDH website one week ago:
http://www.gdh.co.jp/news/20090403_02.html
ANN is slowpoke as usual.

[bayoab]

Just what one needs if you can't get enough of Kugumiya Rie's voice in Saki.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by bayoab

Just what one needs if you can't get enough of Kugumiya Rie's voice in Saki.

And the fun thing is, that's only using the FIRST episode as a source.

[Zarifus]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

Put a small rechagable battery in each tile with a metal contact on the back of the tile, then have the carrying case double as a charger. One tiny LCD would take up little power, especially with no backlight. The goal would be a set around like, ~$2000-4000 or so, so I think it could be done.

Actually, wait, put the metal contact on the SIDES of each tile. Then when they are lined up in the case they'd make a complete circuit and you could charge an entire row at once.

Nonono, Use e-Ink displays. Requires no power except when changing the image. The display also generates no light, which would prevent the images from getting projected onto the table as a form of cheating.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Zarifus

Nonono, Use e-Ink displays. Requires no power except when changing the image. The display also generates no light, which would prevent the images from getting projected onto the table as a form of cheating.

Hmm, that's a good idea. E-ink's main drawback is the refresh time and that wouldn't be an issue in this case. But they do require power to CHANGE the display, so you'd need a battery of some sort,

[qmeister]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

Hmm, that's a good idea. E-ink's main drawback is the refresh time and that wouldn't be an issue in this case. But they do require power to CHANGE the display, so you'd need a battery of some sort,

Perhaps the playing surface could be a low voltage/amperage circuit? Between rounds, just flick a switch and it randomises.

[jennkei]

After finally catching up and watching the first ep, I'm happy to say it was as good as I'd hoped! Interesting to hear about the possibilities for electronic/automatic tables on the thread, though -- especially since Nodoka even has her personal table.

[SuperKnuckles]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

You know, with the advent of tiny microLCD screens, it would be cheaper almost to make a set of tiles where the pictures on them would shuffle themselves instead of build such a giant mechanical table.

You build the wall, hit a button, and they scramble themselves in the wall automatically.

I think they should just either have a computer game version or the full fledged physical version. I think hitting that middle road is a bit weird, if you're gonna play it in person. Also, if you play casually, cheating is really not an issue unless you like making yourself out to be an asshole to friends.


True story: This anime is making my mahjong better. I'm getting the better hang of getting the HUGE hands that score between 9000-15000 points and the overall pattern of the picks from the walls. Granted, I can't memorize the exact hands, so I let the videogames do the work for me. But it's getting better. I think more people should try this type of mahjong since it's basically like a direct-combat poker with lesser mindgames and more hard strategy.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by qmeister

Perhaps the playing surface could be a low voltage/amperage circuit? Between rounds, just flick a switch and it randomises.

That would be a lot harder to carry around. Plus drink spillage would be deadly .

[qmeister]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

That would be a lot harder to carry around. Plus drink spillage would be deadly .

An inductive magnetic circuit? Now I'm reaching an absurd level of complexity for the purpose stated...

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by qmeister

An inductive magnetic circuit? Now I'm reaching an absurd level of complexity for the purpose stated...

The same could be said of the rules of riichi mahjong itself.

Give me gin rummy any day .

[qmeister]

I'll take blackjack, for ultimate simplicity. (Unless we're playing Chinese New Year family rules... i.e. under-12s pay half and take double, also they get blackjack for any two face cards. They also receive support from parents/older siblings. =.=) Heck, I'll just play Snap.

Anyhow, back to hi-tech mahjong tiles, I think most of the stuff we've come up with so far is impractical and overly complex for mere cheating prevention. In the long run one of those tables would probably be worth it.

[whitepearl]

Originally Posted by SuperKnuckles

True story: This anime is making my mahjong better. I'm getting the better hang of getting the HUGE hands that score between 9000-15000 points and the overall pattern of the picks from the walls. Granted, I can't memorize the exact hands, so I let the videogames do the work for me. But it's getting better. I think more people should try this type of mahjong since it's basically like a direct-combat poker with lesser mindgames and more hard strategy.

When I first watched Akagi, I felt the same way. It really opened my eyes to the nuances of Japanese Mahjong and helped to make me a better Mahjong player than before.

Granted I still lose badly but I know how to lose less frequently...