Mahjong101, previously known as Mahjong Score Calculator, is finally live!
Why Mahjong101?
I learned playing Mahjong when I was a freshman at university. During the orientation camp, the seniors taught us how to play. At university, introductory courses are often named with the suffix 101. We started calling learning and practising Mahjong “Mahjong101” or “MJ101”.
Over the years, I’ve played Mahjong a few times a year. I couldn’t remember most of the winning hands except All Triplets. By creating Mahjong101, I hope Mahjong learners like my past self can check the Faan calculation and eventually master it through retrieval practice – much like using flashcards.
That’s the story behind the naming of Mahjong101.
Here are the things I have done since my last update:
Chinese Translation
Next.js supports internalisation, so I adopted it by adding English and Chinese language packs. You can select your preferred language from the bottom right-hand corner. Now Mahjong101 can promote Hong Kong Mahjong to non-Chinese users, while also ensuring Hongkongers feel comfortable when checking the winning hands.
Full Calculation
Last month, the preview version only covered the Win from Wall condition. It now supports all the calculations, including exposed melds, bonus tiles, and other winning condition such as Self Pick and Win by Double Kong. Heavenly Hand and Earthly Hand aren’t included, as it’s meaningless to just display the maximum Faan on the screen.
There are many exceptions and exclusions in various winning conditions. As the problem set became much more complex, I couldn’t avoid refactoring several parts of the backend.
Styling
The preview version lacked styling. I initially thought about taking courses or watching videos on tools and frameworks like Tailwind CSS and Figma. However, I didn’t. Instead, I asked ChatGPT for drafts and spent a lot of time experimenting with CSS parameters. There’s no right or wrong approach – whether taking courses or using trial-and-error – but I spent almost a week refining the styling. The released version is now mobile-friendly, which is much suitable for the actual situation. You’re more likely to check calculations on your phone than on a computer while playing Mahjong.
Finally, I decided to make Mahjong101 free for everyone. After all, I just wanted to create an app that makes it easy for people to calculate the Faan while playing Mahjong. If the app required payment or user profile, it would involve a more complicated process, which might feel inconvenient.
Instead, I added a Ko-fi for tipping. If you’d like to support me in my current and future creation, you may buy me a coffee via Ko-fi.
Working on a solo project has helped me grow immensely. With two months of dedication, I’ve learned so much in various areas. I wouldn’t have believed I could build a web app from zero knowledge in frontend development within just two months.
I have a lot of ideas in my head, but for now, I’ll enjoy my long weekend and get ready to take my next challenge.
Let me know your thoughts on Mahjong101. Share Mahjong101 with your friends who are struggling with Mahjong score calculations.
Enjoy Mahjong without complicated score calculations!