1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

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Johnstonjamese
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1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Johnstonjamese » Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:53 am

Okay, let me start out by saying I have no big problem with Mahjong Fight Club. In fact, I prefer it over every other non-live game. I think it`s one of the only ways to get semi-genuine play out of an online source. Even though it`s not gambling, you`re still competing for Orbs, and the right to a free or discounted game if you win, so everyone is usually inclined to aim for the top just to avoid having to pay again. My one kinda gripe comes with the leagues.

In Fight Club, once you complete the newbie ranks, you`re assigned an animal and given orbs to signify the \"dan\" ranks. From then on, you compete for these orbs. 1st and 2nd place take orbs from 3rd and 4th place each game (hanchan sessions). I think it`s a really fun way to gague your ability, and you get a real sense of accomplishment when you move up rank. I`ve really grown attached to my orbs and hate it when I have to give one up. In this aspect, Konami has done an excellent job at not only hooking players into the game, but also making them care about wins and losses.

As you play, you move up in leagues depending on how well you do. Starting from D3, you move to C, then B, then A. At the same time you move up dan ranks. During my time in the D leagues, I did really well and moved up consistantly, but since hitting the upper C leagues, my wins / losses balanced out and I hit my \"break even\" point as I like to call it. I really think my trueskill rank is somewhere in the C league. The problem is though, you don`t really have to win consistantly to move up in leagues. My wins and losses are balanced nicely, but because I`m still winning sometimes, they keep moving me up in leagues. Now I`m somewhere in B league and am having to fight for my life just to keep my orbs. At one time I was up to 5th dan, now I`m back to 2nd dan and barely holding on. Even with this situation, I`m still on track to be bumped into A league, where I feel I`ll see the last of my orbes.

I really wish they would be a bit stricter about moving you up or down in the leagues. I`ve seen yellow dragons and master dans even in the B leagues yet I`m having to fight hard just to keep my 2-dan rank. Once you lose all your orbs, you have to start over from ground zero back at D league. I have a feeling i`m doomed to repeat this cycle.

Does anyone else play fight club? Have you had similar experiences?

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Barticle » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:35 am

Johnstonjamese wrote:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub
I couldn\'t resist starting the Rules section of my MFC guide with that line too. :laugh:
Even though it`s not gambling, you`re still competing for Orbs, [...]

Does anyone else play fight club? Have you had similar experiences?
I have the PS3 version but the console\'s not connected to the interweb and I understand there are complications with registering for the online service outside of Japan anyways.

Even though I play offline I find that the orbs/ranks system encourages you to play a lot more sensibly. Before MFC I was playing Mahjong Taikai IV (also PS3) and I was a lot more likely to take chances, especially on a one-off game.

Out of interest, which platform are you playing on?

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Barticle » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:41 am

PS A quick reminder that the budget reissue of the Nintendo DS version of MFC comes out two weeks from today. There\'s no region locking so it will play on any DS around the world.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Johnstonjamese » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:01 am

Ah, I play in the arcade. I have the DS version, but I rarely play it. As a rule of thumb for me, if i\'m playing at home, I usually won\'t concentrate well, so I go to the game centers and play there. I know it\'s a money pit, but if I can\'t play at a real parlor, it\'s the next best thing, I do feel like it\'s helping me improve my game. New version is pretty awesome too haha, I wish they would do an updated release for the consoles.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Johnstonjamese » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:04 am

If you can find a way to connect it to the net, I would like to know what the player base is on the ps3. I need giant flashy stuff to keep me interested so I may be able to to get into the ps3 version if there are still alot of players.

I don\'t know why they dumbed down the DS version, but it\'s very different from every other version they released. The rules are a lot more relaxed. The PSP version emulates the arcade version almost perfectly. I haven\'t tried the wii version though.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Barticle » Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:34 am

Johnstonjamese wrote:Ah, I play in the arcade.
Ohh, of course - hence the free games. I was wondering how that fitted with the subscription!
New version is pretty awesome too haha,
Is that 7.77 or is there a new one out for 2010?
I wish they would do an updated release for the consoles.
It would be nice but probably not so likely. The PS3 versions of MFC and Mahjong Taikai IV were both released in the same month as the console launch back in 2006 so they probably saturated the market in a matter of weeks.

Any new game would need to have some unique selling point, like the more recent Janline-R which has added online features like webcam support and user avatars. As I\'ve said many times before, I\'d love to see a home version of Sega\'s MJ4 system but I don\'t know if the (awesome!) graphics are enough to attract sales.

Clearly the DS has a much larger user-base so publishers have thought it viable to release over two dozen mahjong games for it! I\'d imagine that the next wave of new MJ games will come when the Nintendo 3DS is launched (reportedly by the end of the new 10/11 financial year).
If you can find a way to connect it to the net, I would like to know what the player base is on the ps3. I need giant flashy stuff to keep me interested so I may be able to to get into the ps3 version if there are still alot of players.

I\'m sure I\'ll get a \'net connection sorted one day, but I think you need a Japanese bank account to register for Konami\'s network? (As such you might not get so many replies to this thread.)
I don\'t know why they dumbed down the DS version, but it\'s very different from every other version they released.
Really? I\'ve not got it yet but when Ian was collating an English user guide a while back, although the menu layout was a bit different, the rule options were almost identical to the PS3 (with similar defaults too, e.g. Kuikae nashi). Also the DS version has the nice challenge mode which the PS3 lacks.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Poochy » Fri Apr 09, 2010 5:34 pm

The DS version might seem "dumbed down" because it was released several years ago, before the arcade MFC 6 was out. As far as I can tell, the only watering down they did was with the graphics, sound, and some online capabilities, the last of which seems to also apply to the PSP and PS3 versions. The Wii version is based on MFC 7 (according to the trailer); dunno about the PSP and PS3 versions.
Barticle wrote:Is that 7.77 or is there a new one out for 2010?
There was a new one that was just released back in November. I\'m betting that nearly every arcade in Japan with MFC have upgraded their cabinets already.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Johnstonjamese » Sat Apr 10, 2010 4:22 am

Lemme rephrase it, not necessarily dumbed down, but it just didn\'t feel like MFC. For example, in the psp version you\'re still bound by the 5 second discard timelimit with 1 long wait even in single player, but on the DS version, you have as much time as you want.

Also in the PSP version, they included a massive quiz section that I really enjoyed including a pro test, scoring quiz, yaku quiz, exc. Unfortunately though the PSP version didn\'t include infrastructure play.

I still see stores offering bonus bucks on trading them in so I think that especially with the new version, they could drive alot of sales with a new console release. The new version is so slick, and I love the music in it too.

It\'s been a few years since I fired up the DS version though so if I quoted something wrong, sorry >.<.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Barticle » Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:34 am

Poochy wrote: There was a new one that was just released back in November. I\'m betting that nearly every arcade in Japan with MFC have upgraded their cabinets already.
OK, cool. Thanks. B)
Johnstonjamese wrote:For example, in the psp version you\'re still bound by the 5 second discard timelimit with 1 long wait even in single player, but on the DS version, you have as much time as you want.
The PS3 and DS do both give you a time limit, but thankfully it\'s optional! :silly:
Also in the PSP version, they included a massive quiz section that I really enjoyed including a pro test, scoring quiz, yaku quiz, exc.
That sounds really good! Why would they cut that from the (later) PS3 version? There\'d be plenty of room on the BluRay disc for it. Hmm, maybe they were rushing to get the game out at the same time as MJ Taikai.
Unfortunately though the PSP version didn\'t include infrastructure play.

Don\'t got the what now...?
I still see stores offering bonus bucks on trading them in so I think that especially with the new version, they could drive alot of sales with a new console release.
I\'m sure a lot of people, like me, are sufficiently obsessed to buy several MJ titles. But if there\'s a market for them, where are they? Looking at the PS3 the only new retail game I\'m aware of since the console launch in 2006 is Janline-R with its online features.

Beyond that I think there\'s only been a couple of downloadable titles for the PS3. Since you don\'t need fancy graphics for MJ I guess it lends itself to this sort of product - basic games with budget prices.

There seems to be much more of a market on the handheld platforms with good ranges on both the DS and PSP but even then anyone looking to buy a second or third MJ game will probably want something significantly different rather than buying a minor update of a game they already have (although I must admit that practice is widespread in sports games).

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Johnstonjamese » Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:21 am

umm, like with psp there is ad hoc (can only play with people around you) and infastructure (can play online).

Hopefully since there is a new version, eventually we\'ll get an update for the console games too. I picked up the wii version today so i\'ll fire it up sometime over the weekend and let you know what kind of options it has.

I haven\'t tried the janline-r, but i\'m sure for online play, the fight club games are probably the best options. Saki for psp just came out too, but I think it\'s more of just fan service.

If you want a really interesting game, check out \"When they cry - jong\" It\'s a series running in kindai mahjong now and it\'s just 1 on 1 mahjong with a few special powers and stuff thrown in.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Ruro » Sun Apr 11, 2010 5:03 am

Heh Higurashi with mahjong just seems wrong for me :P Also i don\'t know about the arcade version but i didn\'t like the DS-on, the CPU constantly cheated (and yea its probably cheat when the same damn player gets to riichi at his 3rd discard and repeats this process like 4 times...).
Hopefully there is some good game coming to the 3ds...
On psp there is a saki mahjong game coming out, but it\'s visuals are really outdated and it offers \"special moves\". Two points that are not really appealing in my eyes...

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Barticle » Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:07 pm

Johnstonjamese wrote:umm, like with psp there is ad hoc (can only play with people around you) and infastructure (can play online).
Ohh! So "local" or "online" basically!
Hopefully since there is a new version, eventually we\'ll get an update for the console games too.
Sadly it rarely works like that. This will be the 9th version of MFC for the arcades (quoting Poochy\'s data on GameFAQs) but I think there\'s only one version per home/handheld console.
I picked up the wii version today so i\'ll fire it up sometime over the weekend and let you know what kind of options it has.
Cool, I\'d be interested to hear that, although I think Wii games are region locked so they wouldn\'t work on a US/Euro console.

Can you use the motion sensor controller to dramatically slam down your winning tsumo tile? :)
Ruro wrote:Hopefully there is some good game coming to the 3ds...
I\'d expect at least one or two MJ titles to be available at launch, even if they\'re just updates of existing series.

Evidentally the device will have a graphics quality comparable to the old Nintendo Gamecube and a 3D display (hence the name) although I don\'t know how that would work with mahjong.
On psp there is a saki mahjong game coming out, but it\'s visuals are really outdated and it offers "special moves". Two points that are not really appealing in my eyes...
Saki Portable came out a couple of weeks ago I think. Seems to have a good range of characters from the franchise.

There\'s some discussion of their special powers/abilities in this thread.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genmessa ... c=54129351

I\'d quite like to play a game with "super powers" but I\'d want it to be optional.

BTW Here\'s the link to the official site for the Saki game. Click on the 5 dice for a trailer. Definitely some evidence of fan service!

http://www.alchemist-net.co.jp/products/saki/

Also here\'s a screenshot from the Higurashi PSP game. Nice hand! B) Probably made with super powers, I guess?

http://www.andriasang.com/e/galleries/2 ... 132387387/

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Johnstonjamese » Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:14 am

Yea, it was a quarter pit and the PSP version was an exact port, so they still cheat like hell in the PSP version. Most of the time, the only way to win is using powers. Was still entertaining for a few play throughs though. Really pretty game.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Barticle » Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:48 am

I was just searching for something entirely different and found that someone\'s got a guide up for the Saki PSP game already...

http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/psp/game/971472.html

It covers menu translations, rules of the game, character powers and story/challenge mode summaries.

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Re:1st rule of fight club: Don`t talk about fightclub

Post by Fat Dragon » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:12 pm

Thanks Barticle for poiting that out.
Now I can buy the game... ;)

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