Behind The Tiles — 3rd Edition
Hello Tama Masters, how are you guys doing? We’ve had a lot of news in the past few days. Those who follow us on “X” and on Discord must be seeing the upcoming changes in Season 2 of Mahjong Meta. And thinking about that, to keep you updated on all these changes, we had a Mahjong Meta Talk.
In it, Henry Ferr and Brice Vong were able to bring some update preview information expected for Season 2. In case you didn’t have the opportunity to follow along, we’ve made a recap of the main points from the Talk, check below:
Henry Ferr
Based on the first season, there are a lot of mechanics that are going to be changed in Season 2. What’s the reason and why the team has decided to bring all these changes to the game?
Brice Vong
As we have mentioned in our whitepaper, a good gaming ecosystem environment requires continuous improvement and evolvement. During the operation of our first season, nearly two months, we keep observing, learning from our players and our community. We are trying to provide a fun, healthy and sustainable ecosystem for everyone. In Season 2 we will update many mechanics, settings and the gameplay features to achieve such target. We learned a lot from our community, asthey keep providing suggestions and overall feedback. We want to make sure we are on the same page and try to make our gaming platform better and better.
Henry Ferr
Can we expect this kind of changes in every season? Because based on what we have seen from the update notes, there are a lot of game changes and improvements. So all the seasons will have similar changes and changing the mechanics and and so on?
Brice Vong
Yes and no. This question is quite intriguing and pivotal. As you mentioned, our goal is to continue offering a high-quality gaming service within a sustainable ecosystem. Achieving this necessitates adjustments to our games based on our analysis, community input, feedback, and overall estimation.
Additionally, we aim to ensure that our players and market participants experience a stable in-game economy. To achieve this, we approach changes with caution and only implement those we deem necessary. We are mindful not to disrupt market stability. Therefore, we introduced some changes starting from Season One, but we did not immediately enact them. Instead, we announced that they would take effect in the following season. We believe that maintaining stability is a form of fairness in the long-term ecosystem.
In reality, it would be relatively straightforward to make overnight changes in response to certain feedback and mechanics. However, doing so could have a dramatic impact on many in-game assets, potentially affecting their prices and ownership. To prevent such disruptions, we opt not to make immediate changes. Instead, we continuously make adjustments, improvements, and engage with the community to ensure a stable competitive environment for all players.
Henry Ferr
There were many changes on skill cards, and this is something that many players made comments on. But these changes are really big and could change totally change how users play Tama Master mode, why did the team decide to change the skill cards in this way?
Brice Vong
Yes, one of the key changes we’ve implemented involves the introduction of a new category known as the ‘Unlimited HP Card.’ The primary objective behind this addition is to grant our players greater freedom in optimizing their strategic choices. As we’ve consistently emphasized within our community, our aim with this change is to empower our players to maximize their strategic options.
We are dedicated to making Tama-related gameplay as enjoyable as possible, and that means enabling players to explore a wide array of strategies and combinations. We’ve noticed that many players often worry about the consumption of skill card costs, which wasn’t the intended focus of our skill card design. Our true goal is to ensure that competition within each Tama battle and Tama-related gameplay remains as enjoyable as possible. Consequently, we want players to be able to employ a diverse range of strategies and combinations without being overly concerned about cost consumption.
In Season 2, we introduced the ‘Unlimited HP Card’ to provide players with extended periods during which they can freely explore numerous strategies. This change also alleviates concerns about HP costs within shorter timeframes. This adjustment proves especially beneficial for higher-tier Tama holders, as one of the advantages of possessing a high-priority Tama is the ability to equip more strategic cards than the standard ones. If every player is preoccupied with skill card cost, the advantage of owning a high-priority Tama cannot be fully realized. Thus, the addition of the ‘Unlimited HP Card’ category assists our players in maximizing their strategic options in the upcoming season, ultimately enhancing the fun factor of Tama games.
Furthermore, in our initial Tama design, we acknowledge that Tama cannot perform optimally right from the start. It necessitates the incorporation of additional strategies, such as slots and customization options, to align with the player’s analysis, estimation, and strategic intent.
Henry Ferr
Based on the announcements before, there are lots of information regarding the HP infinite cards, but there is also information about card rarities. There will be no rarities anymore?
Brice Vong
Yes, the reason behind our decision to eliminate rarity from our cards stems from the realization that there were some misconceptions regarding rarity in our initial design. Rarity doesn’t necessarily indicate the power of a card; in theory, no card can perform flawlessly in every situation. Each card possesses its own unique specialty and decision-making logic. Therefore, we encourage our players to select cards that align with their individual preferences and strategic estimations.
Originally, our rarity system was intended to influence the supply and demand dynamics of the market, rather than signify a card’s power. However, it became apparent that there were widespread misunderstandings in this regard. Additionally, given our significant changes to the ‘HP Unlimited Card,’ where we aim to ensure that all players have equal strategic freedom in the upcoming season, we’ve decided to make all strategy cards equally accessible.
For the next season, we’ve chosen to assign an equal drop rate to all strategy cards in the market, allowing supply and demand to naturally determine their value. This means that if certain cards become particularly popular, their prices will naturally rise. Conversely, less-preferred cards may find their niche as supplements for player HP or other purposes. Our goal is to provide ample strategic options for our players, which is why we’re opting for the same drop rate for all skill cards.
In the upcoming season, all cards will have the same energy consumption (one point) and an identical recovery limit (two cards). Ultimately, the choice of which cards to prefer or use will be left to our players to decide within the free market.
Henry Ferr
Is there anything else that you can share regarding the quality and complexity of skill cards after the changes on season 2?
Brice Vong
I’m aware that many players place a high value on the Tama mode and have strong expectations regarding the quality of skill cards. We completely understand and appreciate this sentiment. We are dedicating substantial effort to address these concerns and are meticulously designing our cards. In our pursuit of excellence, we’re actively engaging with top players in Japan and seeking the expertise of accomplished Mahjong players to gather suggestions and recommendations.
Additionally, we’re in discussions with community members who eagerly await our card designs. Our aim is to receive positive feedback not only within the existing framework but also to explore opportunities for enhancing the framework itself in the long term. Our current framework is a foundational element of our Tama mode, and as such, it cannot be changed overnight. What we can do presently is increase the number of available cards to provide players with more options and optimize existing cards based on feedback from our community.
Furthermore, we are open to innovative ideas from our community members. As indicated on our official website, we have a card submission feature where anyone with intriguing ideas about their desired options can simply describe their strategic preferences. If we find an idea compelling, we’ll work on making it a reality. In fact, we’ve already gathered some fascinating concepts and are in the process of implementing them.
In my view, a TCG environment thrives on continual community involvement, a principle we’ve observed in various games throughout history. Therefore, we encourage you to share more ideas and provide us with more feedback through the submission function. If users are knowledgeable about AI design, decision tree-making, and strategy, we welcome their insights. We are committed to listening and evolving.
This approach will progressively enhance the skill card system season by season, with the overarching goal of continually improving the PvP and competitive environment in the long run.
I understand that some players may have concerns about the possibility of certain cards, particularly the HP Unlimited card, dominating gameplay in the upcoming season, potentially impacting the overall ecosystem. However, based on our existing in-game statistics and AI analysis, we have not observed any single card consistently achieving long-term success. Instead, winning rates have generally relied on combinations of three cards or two cards.
In the next season, we anticipate a wider array of card combinations as players gain more freedom in selecting skill cards. Moreover, our engineers are actively working to increase the complexity and depth of our AI system, which should make a greater number of cards more powerful in subsequent seasons. Therefore, whether in the present or the future, we do not anticipate the dominance of a single card. Our commitment is to ensure the overall health and stability of the competitive systems.
Henry Ferr
I think that the unlimited HP skill cards have a lot of information and and it’s very new concept for players as well. So is there any other information or details that you would like to share about that?
Brice Vong
We’ve made a wealth of information available in our cluster, allowing players to synthesize five identical regular cards for access. Additionally, in our promotional materials, we’ve stated that the initial duration of the ‘HP Unlimited’ card is set at 50 days. It’s important to clarify that this 50-day period serves as a gift to our existing players and will only be available for the first month. After the first month, the ‘HP Unlimited’ duration will vary randomly, falling between 20 to 50 days. These changes will occur at different dates, introducing an element of randomness.
The rationale behind this approach is to maintain a healthy skill card market. We recognize that many players obtain skill cards as rewards for their gameplay and often prefer to sell surplus cards they don’t need. By ensuring that the ‘Unlimited HP Card’ doesn’t remain at a fixed 50-day duration, we aim to balance the supply and demand dynamics in the skill card market. In the initial month, players who synthesize skill cards in our system will receive the full 50-day duration as a bonus from us. However, after the first month, the duration will become flexible and equally distributed across different days, adding an element of unpredictability and excitement.
Regarding trading, once the ‘HP Unlimited Card’ is synthesized, it cannot be traded on the market as it enters a countdown mode, rendering it ineligible for trading.
Concerning usage, in the next season, we will introduce more gameplay elements relevant to the Tama mode. Consequently, all skill cards, including the ‘Unlimited HP Card,’ can be utilized across all Tama-related game modes, with no distinctions.
Henry Ferr
So we have Battle Royale mode. It’s seems like a very interesting mode. Can you share with us how it will work?
Brice Vong
Absolutely, Tama Battle Royale is one of the most captivating game modes in our lineup. It doubles as a tournament format, allowing players to engage in Tama BR game mode and vie for the championship. We’ve tailored this mode to accommodate varying numbers of participants, with rooms available for 64, 108, and 256 players. What’s more, players can command multiple Tamas, participating in several rooms simultaneously, effectively becoming Tama Masters who strategize and lead their Tamas into different battlefields to compete for the championship.
The rewards for this mode are multifaceted. Firstly, there’s the MJU prize, which accumulates based on the total number of tickets players purchase to join the game. Players receive a percentage of the rewards commensurate with their final position in the competition. Those who reach the top in the final round are considered winners, and prizes are distributed to their wallets in accordance with different proportions. Further details on prizes will be disclosed within this game mode.
Additionally, every player has a chance to obtain dashboard items within the game mode. The drop rate depends on various factors, including player rank, room, and activity. These factors collectively influence the Gacha ball drop rate. Moreover, we’ve introduced the MGM reward system, providing players with opportunities to earn more MGM rewards directly from our rewarding system. This allows them to accumulate MGM more rapidly, and we can deliver results faster than traditional tournaments.
In a conventional Mahjong tournament with real participants, logistical and organizational arrangements can take several days. However, with Tama, players can simply deploy their Tamas and go about their business, returning later to view the results. Next season, we’ll introduce a playback feature, enabling players to review their Tama’s performance in various matches and games. This feature is especially tailored for Tama enthusiasts, offering an exciting and engaging gameplay experience in the upcoming season. We aim to provide our players with more options and opportunities for an enhanced gaming experience.
Henry Ferr
Bringing new players to Mahjong Meta is something very important that the team puts a lot of effort into. Also Mahjong Meta allowed many players that never played Riichi Mahjong before to learn and play it. We have many english speakers that didn’t know what was Riichi Mahjong before discovering Mahjong Meta. So could you share about this newbie friendly features with us?
Brice Vong
Yes, during our first season, we were consistently dedicated to attracting new players to our game. However, it being our inaugural season, we had a lot to work on, including testing the effectiveness of various methods and channels. Our efforts involved collaborating with different communities, partnering with streamers, and utilizing advertisements on various websites to garner more attention in the market. Moving forward, in the next season, we’re committed to enhancing our streaming efforts and expanding our advertising presence, particularly on platforms like TikTok, to engage with a wider audience.
Moreover, we recognize the importance of reducing entry barriers for new players. Based on our observations from the first season, we aim to lower the cost for newcomers to participate in the Tama mode. Since these players may not yet be familiar with the game, we want to make their entry as smooth as possible without disrupting the market. To achieve this, we’ve introduced a new non-NFT Tama — an untreatable, non-breeding Tama — available to all players, including existing ones. These non-NFT Tamas can reach a maximum level of 15, with attributes that are slightly less powerful than the general NFT Tamas. This move will assist new players in getting up to speed quickly. Additionally, we’re providing them with a complimentary HP Unlimited skill card, enabling them to try the game without any cost.
Our goal is to reduce the barriers to entry as much as possible and encourage new players to join our community and experience the game. While we understand the importance of maintaining market balance, we’re focusing on providing functions and support from the system rather than just NFTs. This will help streamline the process of transferring money in the game. We plan to allow users to scan QR codes for money transfers, although, in compliance with anti-money laundering regulations, players will need to use the wallet linked to their gaming account for these transfers. This new method, involving QR codes, will simplify procedures and economic barriers, making it easier for new players to join our game. We aim to welcome new players with open arms while increasing our advertising efforts and event promotion surrounding the game.
Henry Ferr
Players always talk a lot about regarding the Gacha Balls drop rates. Users are making comments about it and and having questions. So are there adjustment on these drop-rates in the next season?
Brice Vong
Yes, there will be more announcements regarding adjustments to Gacha Balls before Season 2, and I’d like to provide a sneak peek into what’s coming. Firstly, we’re increasing the drop rate for skill cards because we’ve updated the rarity settings for skill cards. We’ll be implementing different drop rate systems for ranking and Tama Master mode based on the feedback we’ve received from our community. For Tama players, we aim to offer more benefits in the Gacha mode, while ranking mode will also feature unique elements in the upcoming season. This means we’ll be setting distinct drop rates for different gameplays and making adjustments based on various levels.
Furthermore, we’re introducing more NFTs and items into the Gacha Balls to enhance the fun factor and utility for our players. We are also mindful of the in-game economy. While some players argue that ranking players should not receive skill cards at all, we believe in maintaining the integrity of the game as a cohesive system. Therefore, we won’t make changes of that nature. Instead, we will continue to offer all jobs to our player base but introduce different possibilities for various types of NFTs in different gameplays. This approach allows us to cater to the preferences of our players for different styles of gameplay.
For more specific details, we will provide a comprehensive update in our upcoming white paper before Season 2, so stay tuned for more information.
Henry Ferr
Next question is regarding the mobile apps for Mahjong Meta. Some users have been asking for it. Could you share something related to mobile apps for Mahjong Meta?
Brice Vong
Yes, the development progress of the mobile version is proceeding smoothly. We are actively addressing and fixing any bugs to ensure a seamless experience for our players. We anticipate that the mobile version will be available for download from our website by the middle of October. Unfortunately, there have been some processing issues with Google Play and other app stores, which is why we are prioritizing direct availability to our players to make it accessible as soon as possible.
As for the iOS version, we regret to inform players that they may need to wait a bit longer. We are currently grappling with more complex challenges in its development.
Henry Ferr
We have covered everything for now but do you want to share any other information or share any other message to the users?
Brice Vong
In the upcoming season, we have exciting plans, including background music (BGM), additional series options, and a social system. Please note that these features won’t be available right at the start of Season 2 but will roll out during the season.
We’re collaborating with talented Japanese artists for the BGM to enhance the audio experience. We’ll also introduce in-game emojis and community chat to facilitate interactions among users from different communities. Additionally, a refinement system will be implemented, and existing players will receive free refinement stones in their mailboxes to reset their furniture. These improvements aim to enhance player engagement and customization.
Final Considerations
This edition of Mahjong Meta Talk is packed with news. We know that we can expect a lot in the coming months, and we’re all excited about it. I imagine you are too, so be sure to follow our official channels and enjoy the exciting mahjong games on our web app.
We look forward to seeing you in the next Mahjong Meta Talk!
Some important links:
Website — mjmeta.io/en/index
Twitter — twitter.com/0xMJM
Twitter JP — twitter.com/0xMJM_jp
Get your WL — https://zealy.io/c/mahjongmeta
Discord — https://discord.gg/qr75ukQm7e
Telegram Anoucements — https://t.me/mjmeta
