Subject: Re: MahJonng Essentials and 2nd Dynasty
From: naoki@kyodai.com.no-spam (Naoki Haga)
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 00:21:08 GMT

On Tue, 30 Nov 1999 13:42:27 -0800, "Tom Sloper" <actsearch@aol.com> wrote:

>>>I would like to know what is the difference between the 2 games. They
>>>are both from Activision and look very similar. Are there any features
>>>that one has and the other doesnt?
>
>From: pega@xs3.xs4all.nl (Peter Gallagher)
>
>>You really must speak to Tom Sloper about this - believe me: he knows all
>>about games from Activision :-)
>>He is a regular poster here and hopefiully will be in touch with you soon.
>
>Yes, I'll reply to beefy-t offline. Thanks, Peter.
>Tom

Well, I'm interested by the answer as well... ;))

(Any release date for France ? Via Ubi Soft again ?)

--
Rene-Gilles Deberdt (Naoki)
Kyodai Mahjongg 3D v10.21, http://kyodai.com/
Cyber Namida, http://kyodai.com/namida/

Subject: Re: MahJonng Essentials and 2nd Dynasty
From: "Tom Sloper" <actsearch@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 16:52:08 -0800

L. Capati <beefy-t@eudoramail.com> writes:

>>>>I would like to know what is the difference between the 2 games. They
>>>>are both from Activision and look very similar. Are there any features
>>>>that one has and the other doesnt?
>>From: pega@xs3.xs4all.nl (Peter Gallagher)
>>>You really must speak to Tom Sloper about this - believe me: he knows all
>>>about games from Activision :-)
>>>He is a regular poster here and hopefiully will be in touch with you soon.

I wrote:

>>Yes, I'll reply to beefy-t offline. Thanks, Peter.
>From: naoki@kyodai.com.no-spam (Naoki Haga)
>
>Well, I'm interested by the answer as well... ;))

OK, I wasn't being secretive, just figured the group doesn't want to read a lot of marketing hogwash from me.

>(Any release date for France ?

The UK release date is Dec. 3, so I assume the French version goes out that date too. The French version has a French manual but the rest of the game (the installer, voices, and menus) is in English.

>Via Ubi Soft again ?)

I don't know, I didn't even know it was distributed by Ubisoft before! Nobody ever tells me anything.

Here's the difference between SMJE and SD2, below. (But FYI, SMJE is not being sold in Europe, only SD2.)

SHANGHAI: SECOND DYNASTY is the latest and greatest version of Shanghai. There are 10 games: Classic Shanghai, Power Dragon's Eye, Windstorm, Dynasty, Pandamonium, Kids Mode, American Mah-Jongg, Chinese Mah-Jongg, Japanese Mah-Jongg, and Western Mah-Jongg. There are 54 beautiful tile sets (nineteen of them fully animated), and 143 layouts. SRP $39.99.

SHANGHAI: MAH-JONGG ESSENTIALS is the price-reduced, feature-reduced version of Shanghai: Second Dynasty. There are 4 games: Classic Shanghai, Power Dragon's Eye, Kids Mode, and American Mah-Jongg. There are 25 tile sets (15 of them fully animated), and 84 layouts. SRP $14.99.

Both come with a Year 2000 mah-jongg hands card from the American Mah-Jongg Association. The Windows version is playable over the Internet (against any combination of human and computerized opponents, and SMJE users can even play Dragon's Eye and American MJ against owners of Shanghai: Second Dynasty. Both games are available for Power Macintosh on the same disk (look for the game in the Windows aisle in the store).

Cheers!
Tom

Subject: Re: MahJonng Essentials and 2nd Dynasty
From: naoki@kyodai.com.no-spam (Naoki Haga)
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 04:46:12 GMT

On Tue, 30 Nov 1999 16:52:08 -0800, "Tom Sloper" <actsearch@aol.com> wrote:

>>Well, I'm interested by the answer as well... ;))
>
>OK, I wasn't being secretive, just figured the group doesn't want to read a
>lot of marketing hogwash from me.

Well, if someone asks... ;))
(I would never hesitate to give my own game's URL (www.kyodai.com) if someone should ask for it ;)) <g>

>>(Any release date for France ?
>
>The UK release date is Dec. 3, so I assume the French version goes out that
>date too.

Ah, okay.

> The French version has a French manual but the rest of the game
>(the installer, voices, and menus) is in English.

Good, good.... :)))
(I just can't stand that "Tuile" word for "tile" anyway... ;))

>>Via Ubi Soft again ?)
>
>I don't know, I didn't even know it was distributed by Ubisoft before!
>Nobody ever tells me anything.

Sounds like me with my US publisher ;))
Yes, Ubi Soft did release the previous versions in France (at least Shanghai Great Moments and Shanghai Dynasty).

>Here's the difference between SMJE and SD2, below. (But FYI, SMJE is not
>being sold in Europe, only SD2.)
>
>SHANGHAI: SECOND DYNASTY is the latest and greatest version of Shanghai.
>There are 10 games: Classic Shanghai, Power Dragon's Eye, Windstorm,
>Dynasty, Pandamonium, Kids Mode, American Mah-Jongg, Chinese Mah-Jongg,
>Japanese Mah-Jongg, and Western Mah-Jongg. There are 54 beautiful tile sets
>(nineteen of them fully animated), and 143 layouts. SRP $39.99.
>
>SHANGHAI: MAH-JONGG ESSENTIALS is the price-reduced, feature-reduced version
>of Shanghai: Second Dynasty. There are 4 games: Classic Shanghai, Power
>Dragon's Eye, Kids Mode, and American Mah-Jongg. There are 25 tile sets (15
>of them fully animated), and 84 layouts. SRP $14.99.

Hmm... I'm addicted to Chinese Mah-Jongg, so... ;)

Oh, btw (you don't have to answer here), the last times I played SD (I had to reinstall it), I had my network card installed, and it seems like the game keeps trying to connect to my network because the SD cursor freezes for about 1 second every 5 seconds... Strangely, when I set the cursor outside the window, it doesn't freeze at all... Is there any fix for that ?)

>Both come with a Year 2000 mah-jongg hands card from the American Mah-Jongg
>Association. The Windows version is playable over the Internet (against any
>combination of human and computerized opponents, and SMJE users can even
>play Dragon's Eye and American MJ against owners of Shanghai: Second
>Dynasty. Both games are available for Power Macintosh on the same disk (look
>for the game in the Windows aisle in the store).

And I suppose if I want to play on my local network (via TCP/IP, couldn't figure out how to configure my IPX network ;)), I'll have to buy two copies....? ;) (my girlfriend is already complaining... ;))

--
Rene-Gilles Deberdt (Naoki)
Kyodai Mahjongg 3D v10.21, http://kyodai.com/
Cyber Namida, http://kyodai.com/namida/

Subject: Re: MahJonng Essentials and 2nd Dynasty
From: actsearch@aol.com (Tom Sloper)
Date: 01 Dec 1999 05:36:53 GMT

I'm responding to Naoki's technical questions offline.
Tom