FAQ #24. How To Get Tech Support For Your Computer MahJong Game

There are three approaches you can take:

1. Look for a Help option in your game, and/or ask the makers of your game.
The makers/owners of the game bear the responsibility of providing tech support to the game's customers. Maybe they have a contact for customer support questions. Or maybe they have FAQs that answer your question(s).

2. Google your question. Others may have asked before you.
You may have to try several search strings (word your question multiple ways).

3. Broadcast your question to a wide audience, where the audience can post replies.
Like Reddit, or Quora, or Twitter, or Facebook...
Reddit's Mahjong forum is at https://www.reddit.com/r/Mahjong/

Whether you ask your game's maker (approach 1 above) or "the crowd" (approach 3 above) you must...

Provide all necessary information about your question.

What is the title of the game?
What hardware are you using to play the game? iPad? PC? Nintendo Switch? Mac?
If you're playing in the browser, what browser were you using? Chrome? Firefox? Safari? Brave? Opera? Edge?
Complete description of the problem - what happened? What did you expect to happen? Did you get an error message? What did the message say exactly? What did you do, what happened as a result, then what did you do, and so on.
It may be necessary to provide screenshots along with your question.
If the game won't allow you to win, or if the game won't permit you to do an action, then the problem most likely is that you are trying to do something against the game's rules. Or, if you're playing American (NMJL) mah-jongg, you might be misinterpreting the hand on the card.

Good luck finding the answer to your technical support question. Do not send your technical support questions to me. Scroll down and you'll see why...

From the Mah-Jongg Q&A Bulletin Board (in reverse chronological order, i.e. most recent ones at the top):

Why wouldn't the computer let me win?

On Monday, October 11, 2021, 01:24:11 PM PDT, Terence W wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:I am a beginner Mah Jong player and had the Lucky 13 when playing on the computer- but the computer would not recognize it as Mah Jongg— ffff 5555(dots)+8888(crack)- so confused
thank you!!!

Hi, Terence,
I don't know which computer game you were playing on. I don't know what card you were using. But mainly, I do not provide customer support for any computer games.
Most of the time, a computer game won't let you win because you're trying to do something against the rules, or you misunderstand the color coding on the card (see FAQ 19-CV). Or maybe the computer was not using the same card you were? I assume you also had a 1-bam and a 3-bam to make a complete 14-tile math formula, but maybe there's no Lucky 13 hand on the card the computer was using. [Or maybe you're asking about Thirteen Orphans?]
If you need tech support for your computer game, see FAQ 24. I recommend you make a habit of taking a screenshot every time something happens that confuses you. Good luck!
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs
Donations appreciated
Indigenous People's/Columbus Day, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

Computer game technical support question

On Saturday, May 22, 2021, 11:37:31 PM PDT, Kathy N wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q A
My mah-jongg question or comment is when playiing Real Mahjongg on line, :how do I reset 2020 points back to zero for new card 2021? thanks.

I have no idea, Kathy. Can't you ask the people who run Real Mahjong?
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper

Computer game technical support question, part 2

On Sunday, May 23, 2021, 12:53:03 PM PDT, Kathy N wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q A
i wish. they never seem to be available. i was hoping you would try,,,,,,please...

I don't do technical support. Maybe another reader knows.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
May 23, 2021

How do I get the microphone?

On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 02:28:49 PM PDT, Gail wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
How do I get the microphone?

Gail, see FAQ 24 for how to get help with computer games. Good luck!
Tom

Why wouldn't the computer let me call?

On Friday, April 9, 2021, 04:32:08 PM PDT, PAUL E wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is: I was going for any like numbers
FF 1111 NEWS 1111
I had in my hand EWS and it wouldn’t allow me to call
For N ? Why

Did you also have your pair of flowers, Paul? Did you also have both number kongs complete? Read FAQ 19-CT
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs
Donations appreciated
April 9, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

Why wouldn't the computer let me call that tile?

Mah-Jongg Q+A
On Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 01:58:03 PM EDT, galem wrote:
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
I’m a beginner Online: ILovemahj (BRAVE-PC) I’m able to Ignore but not Call A tile I need and Display Tiles from the one I want to Call. Also, All them have bubbles over them?
Gale M

Hi, Gale!
It's not my job to provide technical support for that game, but I can tell you that most of the time when the computer won't let you do something, it's because what you're trying to do violates a rule or would otherwise make you subject to a penalty (especially the "death penalty"). See FAQ 19.

FAQ 19 link

As for those bubbles you mention, you'd have to talk to the creator/publisher of ILoveMahj. A screenshot would definitely be needed. In fact, a screenshot of the game when it doesn't let you call a discard would also be needed. See FAQ 24 for more about how to obtain tech support for a computer game. Good luck!
Play safe out there. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Rochester, New York, USA
June 4, 2023
Donations appreciated

What are the boards for?

On Friday, April 9, 2021, 04:51:42 AM PDT, Gayle S wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is: what are the boards for in Mahjong online? When I tap on one, nothing changes

If you send me a screenshot, I might be able to answer, but that's not a guarantee. Might be better to contact the maker of your game software.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs
Donations appreciated
April 9, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

P.S. Might be a change in the tabletop graphics. You might see a different look after starting a new game. Just a guess. By the way, you never said which mah-jongg software you play. - Tom

Can't access the voice chat

On Thursday, March 18, 2021, 01:40:31 PM PDT, Carrie N wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
I am wondering if you can figure out why I can’t access the voice chat on the real maj jongg computer game. Thanks. Carrie

囧 I'm sorry, Carrie, but I don't and can't provide technical support for computer games. I assume your system has a working microphone, and a working camera, which are not disabled in settings. Maybe the game website or app has a Help menu, with a way to ask the app's owner how to make their service work. Or maybe there is a subreddit for that. Or maybe another reader of this board will be able to offer some suggestions. FAQ 24 might be useful for you, if you need more suggestions...
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
March 18, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

Tonight my mic did not work.

On Monday, February 15, 2021, 10:01:19 PM PST, irenesuem wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:tonight my mic did not work. the other three players could hear me but i couldn't hear them we play realmaj 2020..2019. what should i do
Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S10.

Hi, irenesuem! Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I just found your email in my spam folder.
1. You say your mic didn't work, but I'm thinking it did. The others could hear you, so your mic clearly was working.
2. I don't know why you couldn't hear the other players. Maybe you had your volume turned down, or maybe another app on your device was hogging your audio services. Might be a bug in the system. Or maybe your earbuds weren't all the way in the jack. Or maybe it was a one-time fluke.
3. You might want to check with the makers of your app for technical support. See FAQ 24 for some tips on how to obtain tech support for your mah-jongg game. I have no relationship with the makers of your game, and this is not a technical support website.
Hope your technical issue gets resolved next time you play online. Who knows, maybe it'll just work next time! Or maybe another reader will have experienced the same thing and can offer some tips.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
February 16, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

Tonight my mic, part 2

On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, 12:39:17 PM PST, Pete S wrote:
tonight my mic did not work
Hi Tom,
You’re brave to try to answer tech support questions with so little information to work from. As you mentioned, if the other players could hear irenesuem but she couldn’t hear them it was her speakers that were the problem.
On my computer the built-in speakers sound tinny so I usually plug in an external speaker or headphone/earbuds. I recently was in a zoom call where I believed the other person had not turned on their microphone because I could not hear them. I came to discover that the plug for my external speaker had not seated properly. It was in far enough to cut out the internal speakers but not far enough to activate the external one.
The Second Rule of Troubleshooting Electronics is “Always check the connections”. The First Rule is “Turn it off, then on (reboot).” If you’re interested the Third Rule is “Lift it 3 inches above the desk top and drop it.” Usually one of those will get things working again.
Gung Hay Fat Chow
-Pete-
-It is true we cannot be free of sin, but at least let our sins not always be the same.- St. Teresa of Avila

Thanks, Pete!
Happy new year to you, too.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
February 17, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

Why did the computer call me dead?

On Friday, January 1, 2021, 03:20:47 PM PST, Eileen B wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is: why can’t I claim a tile when I have two in my hand or one tile and a joker? i’m not trying for a closed hand. And then I’m called dead and I can’t figure out why! I’m playing real man jongg on line.
thanks for all you do!
Eileen

Hi, Eileen!
You say you were playing Real Mah Jongg Online (most of my readers usually refer to that one as "RMJ"). So you were playing American mah-jongg, with the NMJL 2020 card. But you didn't give me enough information to answer your questions. Most likely, there was a problem with the hand. If it wasn't a concealed hand, then you must have misconstrued the color-coding, or the hand structure, or the permissible tiles, or something else.
What two tiles were you holding and what tile were you trying to claim when the app wouldn't let you? Did you have any other exposures showing? You didn't confuse a flower for a One Bam, by any chance, did you? Got a screenshot?
What hand on the 2020 card were you making when the app called you dead?
Exactly what tiles were you holding when you were called dead? A screenshot of the app at the time your problem occurred would tell the tale.
Have you tried contacting the makers of realmahjongg.com? Log in on the site and see if there's a way to ask questions there.
Do you have the League's official rulebook, Mah Jongg Made Easy? Have you read it cover to cover? And have you read everything on the 2020 NMJL card, front and back?
I can't tell you what went wrong for you without knowing exactly what tiles you were holding, what hand you were making, what exposure the app rejected, and what tiles you exposed when the app declared you dead.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
New Year's Day, 2021
Los Angeles, California, USA

I can't redeem a joker in my app

On Sunday, November 22, 2020, 06:26:27 AM PST, Margie H
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is: I play on an IPad, while attempting to exchange a tile and take the joker from an opponent, it is difficult, joker doesn’t want to move, and many times my tile goes as a discard which was not my intention. Help please as it’s beyond frustrating.
Margie H
Sent from my iPad

Hi, Margie!
I guess the help you want is some tips on how to increase the success of your joker redemption moves in that app you're playing.
Which app or website were you playing on? Maybe a reader who also plays that app can offer some tips
Have you tried contacting the makers of your app? See FAQ 24.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
November 22, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Why wouldn't the computer let me win?

On Saturday, October 17, 2020, 05:28:33 PM PDT, linda v wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
I draw a tile that gives me the doubleton eg 2 norths - why does it not allow me to mahjong. The rest of the hand is complete with pongs and chows.
It asks me to discard , I don’t want to do this as I have a Mah-Jongg.
Look forward to your answer.
Sent from my iPad

Hi, Linda! Most likely, there was a problem with the hand. In order to better answer your question, I would need to know...
Which mah-jongg variant were you playing? Japanese? One of the Chinese variants? British/Australian/Western?
Which app or website were you playing on?
Exactly what tiles were you holding? A screenshot of the app at the time your problem occurred is the best way to go.
What hand were you making? (Just telling me what tiles you had doesn't tell the whole story.) For all I know, the pair of N is wrong for your hand, or your hand doesn't fit with your variant's requirements.
Have you tried contacting the makers of your app? See FAQ 24.
Do you have a good book describing the mah-jongg variant you're playing? See FAQ 3.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
October 17, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Sometimes the "call" button doesn't activate in RMJ

On Saturday, October 10, 2020, 01:13:04 PM PDT, Christine B wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
Hi there,
Emailing you for my mom. She is new in Real Mah Jongg but has a question which is a problem when playing.
She needs a tile which has been discarded, but is unable to pick it up because at that point the “call” button is not showing its active for that move.
In that meanwhile, the computer keeps adding discarded tiles after it.
How can she get Mah jongg if she can’t pick those tiles when wanted.
Please let us know what to do.
Thank you!
Christine B. -- sent from my iPhone

Hi, Christine!
囧 I'm sorry, but I don't play that game (I play one that I made years ago). So I can't say for certain. But normally, when a computer game doesn't let you do something, it's by design, so as to adhere closely to the rules of the game. Some apps let you make a fatal mistake, but most do not.
I might be able to answer, if I could see a screenshot of an instance where this happens. Maybe another reader who plays RMJ will post an answer, so keep an eye on this board. Or you can try contacting the people who made RMJ, or maybe their website has an FAQs section.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
10/10/2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Sometimes the "call" button doesn't activate, part 2

On Sunday, October 11, 2020, 04:44:35 AM PDT, Timothy A wrote:
Letter from Christine B
Hi Tom, I’ve been playing on Real Mah Jongg for a bit now and think I can supply an answer for the Question Christine B ask.

Almost every time when a tile is discarded, all players that have enough tiles to create a Pung, or Kong of the discard, are offered a chance to claim the tile. They must press a ‘Skip’ button if they don’t want to clim it. If they don’t have the required Jokers/same tiles combination, this option is skipped. The one exception I’ve seen is if you have exposed tiles and have enough tiles to create a Pung or Kong BUT the discarded tile clearly doesn’t go with the exposure, it doesn’t give you the opportunity to claim it.

I’ve also noticed that some people think they are one tile for a pair away from Mah Jongg and are unable to claim that ’needed’ tile for Mah Jongg. Upon examining the hand a bit, they realize they needed 'Opp. Dragons’ or something similar and really didn’t have Mah Jongg.

In Christine’s question, it appears her mother didn’t have the tiles needed for an exposure OR wanted to call the discard for a Pair. Had she been allowed, once she had discarded, her hand would be declared dead by the computer.

Hope that helps.
Tim A.

Nice level of detail, Tim. I'm sure you're right. I say again that a screenshot would go a long way towards pinpointing an exact reason.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
October 11, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

P.S. As I wrote in FAQ 19-CV: the most likely reason why the computer won't permit a win is that the player has an imperfect understanding of how to interpret the card as regards to the hand being made. FAQ 16 answers the most frequently-asked questions about the 2020 card. And in FAQ 19, you can learn how to take screenshots. - Tom
10/12/2020

How to declare mah-jongg during the Chas. in my online game?

On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 01:04:51 PM PDT, Linda D wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
When playing computer Real Mah Jongg, during the Charleston, how do you call Mah Jongg?
This happened and we didn’t know how to stop the game.
Thank you. Linda

Hi, Linda.
During the Charleston, you can't declare mah-jongg (under the NMJL rules). "Heavenly hand" can only be declared before the passing begins - and I do not know if your app offers that as an option. For more info on this special dealer rule, see column #666, in which I discuss dealer options when getting a complete hand during the Charleston.
If one of my readers has ever run into "Heavenly hand" while using the same app you're using, maybe they'll post some info. So keep on coming back to watch for follow-up posts.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
October 7, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

How do I cancel my Real Mah Jongg subscription?

On Friday, August 14, 2020, 10:31:51 AM PDT, Naomi K wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
How do I stop my contract with Real Mah Jongg?
Naomi K

I have no idea, Naomi. I have no connection with that game. Maybe a reader will post an answer here eventually, but why don't you just ask Real Mah Jongg? Log onto their site and see what you can find out there.
Play safely and stay healthy. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
August 14, 2020

All those questions you get about online mah-jongg

On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 03:49:11 PM PDT, Pete S wrote:
online game questions
Hi Tom,
I hope you are doing well and the virus hasn't found you. I noticed you
are getting a lot of questions about various online Mahjong apps. Your
readers might be able to find help at https://www.reddit.com/r/Mahjong/. I have been reading this subreddit for about a year now and it seems
like a lot of the subscribers there play online ( a lot). It might take
some of the pressure off you. Just a thought.
Stay healthy,
-Pete-
Tell mom I died doing something stupid.

That's a great suggestion, Pete. Thanks! I'll add this to the FAQs. I just hope nobody comes back to me and asks me how to navigate Reddit and the Mahjong subreddit and the numerous Japanese majan and Chinese majiang threads I saw there when I visited the subreddit just now! :grin:
I don't mind questions that are generic, like "why won't the computer let me do X," because that's not app-specific (those questions are about the rules of the game). But when people ask questions that are specific to a particular app and its UI, I can't help. When those folks post their questions on Reddit, they'll need to specify what app they're playing, and what device they're playing it on. Heck, if they came here and asked a question with all that necessary info on it, I could just post the question here and maybe somebody who knows the answer will write in with the answer! Woulda coulda shoulda...
Thanks again, Pete. Stay home, stay safe. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 28, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Where do I direct the tile?

On Sunday, April 26, 2020, 04:23:24 PM PDT, Ann F wrote:
Maj ques
If I want to replace an exposed joker where do I direct the tile? I’ve tried pulling it toward the joker and it kept pulling my tile back
Sent from my iPad

Hi, Ann! I can tell that you are asking a computer game tech support question. See how smart I am? But I am not a mindreader, and I do not know which game you play, and I cannot see what you see, and I probably have not played your game in the past 2 or 3 years! So I do not know the answer to your question. Perhaps FAQ 24 (the Tech Support FAQ) will help you find the answer to your question.
Stay home, stay safe. Don't ask me any more computer game questions! And may the virtual tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 26, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

P.S. If you said which mah-jongg app you're playing, and what device you're playing it on, maybe another reader could post an answer to your question!

Why wouldn't the computer let me win, part 3

On Saturday, April 25, 2020, 05:30:25 AM PDT, <sherlands123 wrote:
Re: Mah jong question
Just one other quick question. When the board suggests taking a tile-is it telling the player that it’s really best to take it?

Sherlands, I have played a lot of mah-jongg apps, going back to 1994. But I may not have played the one you play (and you've never said which mah-jongg app you play). They all play mah-jongg, but they were all programmed by different people, and you can't assume they are all alike in every detail. But I learned one thing in all my years of playing computer/videogame mah-jongg apps: never trust the computer. A prompt letting you know that you have the ability to call for a discard is not the same thing as a helpful teacher's voice telling you the sure path to a win.
"Do you want to call this tile?" is NOT the same thing as "You should call this tile." I don't know which thing your app is telling you, but I've never met an app yet that gave me a yellow brick road to the magical city of Oz. You have to use your own judgment as to whether or not to call a discard.

Stay home, stay safe. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 25, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Why wouldn't the computer let me win, part 2

On Friday, April 24, 2020, 08:47:42 AM PDT, <sherlands123 wrote:
Re: Mah jong question
Got it!
Didn’t realize it had a C next to it. Thanks!
Sent from my iPhone

You're welcome, Susan. I hope the info about screenshots is helpful, too.
Stay home, stay safe. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 24, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Why wouldn't the computer let me win?

On Friday, April 24, 2020, 05:04:39 AM PDT, sherlands123 wrote:
Mah jong question
Hello, I am really baffled. Please see this board below. Why is this not a winning Mah jong for me? It looks like I should have mah jong-2020 card- last row under the consecutive run???
Please explain. Thank you so much, Susan
Sent from my iPhone

Good morning, Susan.
Computer game developers have to make choices when they create mah-jongg apps. For instance, what should a developer do when a player makes a play that would get the player called dead in a real-life game?
Should the program let the player make that fatal error, and then call the player dead?
Or should the program prohibit making such a move?
Ideally, whichever choice the developer decides, the software should offer explanations to the player, but the program you're using apparently doesn't do that.
In your case, the computer is doing what it was programmed to do - it allowed you to make two legal exposures (pungs of 7C and 8C). Those two exposures are legal because with those two pungs you could legally be making Consec #1 or Consec #3. But of course you are not permitted to make exposures when your hand is marked C on the card. If you would prefer that the computer allow you to call mah-jongg erroneously and then call you dead, maybe another app will do that.
I'm assuming you just forgot to look and see that Consec #8 is marked C on the card. But if you are just learning the rules of American mah-jongg with the use of that app, may I recommend that you get a good rulebook to supplement your learning of the game?

Left: The League's official rulebook. Every online player should have an up-to-date copy!
I don't sell them, and I'm not paid to say this. Just sayin' it's important to have and read.
Right: And then there's my book, "The Red Dragon & The West Wind." - It's not bad, if I do say so myself.
The bots are depending on you to know the rules!

Also, I'd like to tell you of two better ways to take a snapshot of your mah-jongg screen. I see you're a Windows user.

Microsoft's Snip & Sketch, or Microsoft's Snipping Tool. When you want to take a snapshot, click at lower left, next to the Start button, where it says "Type here to search" (you can see it in your photo) and type "snip" and then click on either the Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch. You drag the mouse cursor diagonally across the area you want to capture. Then there are other steps to take to save the capture as an image file you can send me. I'm not going to go into depth on how to use those snip tools, because I don't use this method of making screen shots myself. Play around with this when you're not under pressure from your mah-jongg game to make a move. You might wind up preferring this technique.

Press the PrtScr button (in the top row of your extended PC keyboard, towards the righthand side) to take a snapshot of your entire screen. Then open Microsoft Paint (to open Paint, click at lower left, next to the Start button, where it says "Type here to search," and type "paint"), and when you're in Paint, hit ctrl-V to paste. Then drag diagonally across the area of the screen you want to show me and click Crop (at left side of Paint's tool ribbon), then click File/Save As, and save the image with a logical filename, making sure you know where you're saving it. Then you can send it to me.

Stay home, stay safe. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you as you play mah-jongg online.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 24, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

Why won't the computer let me do this?

On Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 06:49:51 PM PDT, Katey D wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question is:
I’m playing with the 2020 card and I was trying to complete this hand:
FFFFF 22 222 2020
I attached a screenshot of what I had in my hand. Someone discarded a Soap, and I wanted to “Call” the Soap to complete my “2020”. (I had two 2 Bams and one soap). It would not let me “Call” the Soap. Do you know why?
Thanks so much,
Katey D

right-click

On Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 06:55:19 PM PDT, Katey D wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
Hello again, I have another question.
I’m playing with the 2020 card and the hand I was going for was:
FF DDDD NEWS DDDD
I attached a screenshot of what I had in my hand. I “Called” a discarded West, and I intended to place my “N’, “E”, and “S” along with it to complete NEWS. It would not let me. Do you know why?
Thanks,
Katey D

right-click

Yes, Katey, I do know why. It's because of the rules of mah-jongg. For the explanation of this rule, see FAQ 19-E. Please bookmark FAQ 19 for your future reference.

Stay safe. Don't touch your face. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 22, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

I need technical support

On Saturday, April 4, 2020, 04:53:09 PM PDT, Leslie@ wrote:
Mah-Jongg Q+A
My mah-jongg question or comment is:
I am playing on real mahjong.com and I was unable to discard a tile, it kept bouncing back to me, any idea why?
Sent from Leslie's iPad

Leslie, I do not provide technical support for computer games. See FAQ 24 for tips on getting technical support. Good luck!
Stay safe. Don't touch your face. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 4, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

I want to report a bug

On Saturday, April 4, 2020, 02:06:59 PM PDT, Barbara R wrote:
2020 online game
l think I just found a flaw in the 2020 game. I was doing the 1st line of Winds - Dragons. I had 2 E's and 2 W's but when a third one came up on the screen it did not let me choose it. I could have majed if I were able to get the E and then the W it did not offer to me.
How do I report this?
Barbara R

Barbara, first you go to the website where you found that game. Then explore it fully. Look for Support or Help or About in the menus, if there are any. They might have an email address or a box you can type your question in. You can also try Googling to get the information. You might even find information on the game's developer in Wikipedia. I don't know which game in FAQ 5 you play. And I don't have contact information to share on any of them.
Stay safe. Don't touch your face. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 4, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

P.S. If you said which mah-jongg app you're playing, and what device you're playing it on, maybe another reader could post an answer to your question!

Shanghai Second Dynasty, part 3

On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, 03:22:38 AM PST, digeoff wrote:
Re: Shanghai second dynasty
Hi Tom
Update I installed SSD on my wifes laptop and the music plays.
Tried reinstalling on my pc but to no avail music will still not play all the sound effects work perfectly well.
Now the only difference that I can see is that my pc is windows 10 pro and the laptop is windows 10 home edition.Cheers Geoff

Weird!

Shanghai Second Dynasty, part 2

On Monday, January 27, 2020, 07:48:10 AM PST, digeoff wrote:
Re: Shanghai second dynasty
Hi Tom now you have it working does it play the music?

I haven't tested that, Geoff. Music did not play during the title sequence but the dragon did roar. I have not tried using the menu to turn music on in a game. Didn't spend much time with the program last night (except to start making a 2019 card file). The music is great (all hail Carey Chico), but I had already put the game's music in my music library, so I can always play the music through another program or device. Just amazed that after years of incompatible operating systems, the game suddenly works again. Hmm, wonder if I have to change FAQ 5... Anyway, thanks again. May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
January 27, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

P.S. Later that evening, I tested the game's audio preferences and I can confirm that the music doesn't work. There are brief musical pieces that play as sound effect files, but the Redbook music pieces on the CD do not play in the game, in my Windows 10 system. - Tom

Shanghai Second Dynasty and Windows 10

On Sunday, January 26, 2020, 11:16:24 AM PST, digeoff wrote:
Shanghai second dynasty
Hi Tom I like you have missed playing SSD so I thought I would try it on Windows 10 and it worked apart from the music.Also it won't open to full screen but it's a small price to pay to be playing the game again.
Regards Geoff J

Hi, Geoff.
When I got your email, I thought, "that's weird, it works on his computer. It doesn't work on mine." But then I thought, "what the hey. Try it. You never know." I went looking for a disc. The game doesn't work without the disc.
See, the thing is, the game is already installed on my computer (I installed it years ago and it did not work). I put the disc in, then navigated to its folder (putting the disc in doesn't launch the game anymore, because iTunes is set to play CDs) and double-clicked the EXE. And holy crap!

It does work now! One of the Microsoft updates must have restored backwards compatibility. Thanks for letting me know! I never would have known. Only problem is, now I have to program a 2019 card. Haven't made one since 2011!
May the tiles be with you, Geoff!
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
January 26, 2020 恭賀新禧! Happy year of the Rat!
Los Angeles, California, USA

P.S. Discovered a drawback - I can't leave the disc in all the time. iTunes doesn't like that, nosirreebob.

Shanghai: Second Dynasty

>From: Laura G
>Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2018 9:16 PM
>Subject: Shanghai Second Dynasty
>Hi Tom,
> My outdated version of Shanghai Second Dynasty will not load properly on my new computer. Is there a new version available for Windows 10? If so, is the 2108-card available for it?
> Thank You, Laura G

Laura, how on earth were you able to keep that old game running until now? Was your old computer still running Windows XP? The last time I was able to run Shanghai: Second Dynasty was 2008. Windows 7 came along in 2009, and that was the end of Shanghai: Second Dynasty for me. I have not been able to run the game on my own computer for the past TEN YEARS. The last time I was able to make a NMJL card for that game was 2008! I have not received a paycheck from Activision (where I worked when I made Shanghai: Second Dynasty as an employee) since 2000 (EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO). This summer I'll teach a game design class to thirty students who were all born AFTER I left Activision. What I'm saying is, I'm not able to help you. If you want technical support for that old game, you have to contact Activision Blizzard (even the company's name changed since I worked there). See FAQ 24. You can link to the FAQs above left.
P.S. If you manage to get Shanghai: Second Dynasty to work on your Windows 10 computer, tell me how you did it so I can play it again myself!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆斯洛珀
Creator of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
Mother's Day, 2018

I'm not asking a Shanghai technical support question (I lied)

>From: Sam C
>Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 7:06 PM
>Subject: software and my complements
>Hi Tom Sloper:
>I've read your FAQs over the years and believe me that I am not asking
>for technical support.
>1. First, I would like to give you props for the Shanghai:Second
>Dynasty product. My parents are from China, and they have been
>playing the non-networked, Mahjong game for years. In fact I have
>them hooked up to an old XP machine, just so they can keep playing.
>It's been more than 10 years, but they love the product.
>2. Is there any possibility that Activision or you would release a
>new version of Second Dynasty? Soon Microsoft will discontinue
>support for XP in 2014. Also, any tips for getting the product to
>work in Win 7? Okay, so I lied, a bit.
>3. Have you tried any of the other products in your FAQ and do you
>recommend any of them? I've been eyeing the 4winds product, and
>wanted to know what you think.
>I am not a mahjong player myself, but again, props for the development
>of a great product in Second Dynasty. I fear the answer to #2 is "no,
>there is no big commercial market for the product".
>Thanks! Sam

Niihau, Sam.

I'm glad they enjoy it, but as you say, it's an ancient product. As the great George Harrison sang, "All Things Must Pass."

No, there isn't.

No. If you have any not listed in FAQ 24, tell me.

Yes, I have.

No, I don't do that. When I created FAQ 5, I refrained from opinionating out of a need to be impartial and fair (since I was then an employee of Activision). That said, Four Winds is solid and has a LOT of great features; the only thing I don't like about it is the screen layout (showing the hands in four rows rather than as if placed around a table). I will probably come to regret having answered this question with this answer. I wish you had not asked it.

Exactly.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper

Creator of these Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
September 14, 2012

Shanghai surprise

>From: Kevin D
>Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 1:13 PM
>Subject: Shanghai 2nd Dynasty
>Hi Tom - I'm a Mah Jong fan of long standing and have 2 copies of the above to ensure I don't get caught out in case of accidents! - I've survived all of Microsoft's revamps up until Windows 7 - it installs OK but when you {try to} play all you get is the startup screen and then nothing - done all the compatibility settings to no avail - any ideas? or can you persuade Activision to pay you to do a Shanghai 3rd Dynasty? - that would be perfect - I wondered if the difference was the 64bit system - any solutions {apart from suicide} will be appreciated - thankyou for your time - Kevin D

Kevin,
I haven't worked at Activision for 12 years. I can't get Shanghai 2nd Dynasty to work on my computer, either - and I purchased the Windows 7 Professional upgrade (to no avail). Please don't ask me any more technical support questions. It's Activision's responsibility, not mine.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper

Creator of these Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
August 16, 2012

Technical support for my computer game, part 2

>From: Rena
>Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 1:31 PM
>Subject: Shanghai on the Mac
>FYI, you were nice enough to refer me to Activision via phone (I had no response from e-mail). The person I reached had never heard of the game. He said they absolutely do not support this game anymore and would not suggest how to make the game work on new Macs. He was less than helpful. Just so you don't refer others to them for the same thing.

Rena,
I find it hard to believe that Activision Customer Support never heard of any of their ten-year-old software products, but it is not hard to believe that they no longer support it. It is a ten-year-old product, after all. Getting on eleven. If Activision can't answer your questions for you, nobody can. Like I wrote in FAQ 24.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
June 2, 2010

Technical support for my computer game

>From: Rena
>To: Tom Sloper
>Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 7:14 AM
>Subject: Shanghai technical support question
>Hi Tom,
>Do you know if there's any way to get Shanghai Dynasty to work on a MacBook Pro using Snow Leopard? I can't get Activision to respond.
>Thanks!
>Rena

You're saying that you cannot get to a human tech support person when you telephone Activision tech support? I do not believe you. Keep trying. NOBODY EXCEPT ACTIVISION can answer your technical support question. The number is 310-255-2050.

Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
I don't do technical support!
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
May 9, 2010

Your game gives me very irritating comments

Mah-Jongg Q+A
On Sunday, September 3, 2023 at 10:42:02 PM EDT, Marian L wrote:
Can gMy mah-jongg question or comment is:
Sent from my iPad. This is not regarding the game itself,however I am a platinum member and every time I play the game I get the very irritating comments about evert thing that is played show on my IPad screen. The comments even cover my ability to play a tile. Please stop it. It started a few months ago and I am Irritated. Please respond .

囧 Hi, Marian! I don't know which computer mah-jongg game you're playing, but I can assure you that I am not the person who made that game. As I wrote in FAQ 24, you need to contact the maker(s) of your game. The makers/owners of the game bear the responsibility of providing tech support to the game's customers. Maybe they have a contact for customer support questions. Maybe they have a Help button that explains the game's features. And maybe you can even find a setting or option to turn off the commentary (I imagine it's intended to be helpful commentary to help you improve your playing).
Play safe out there. And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Rochester, New York, USA
September 3, 2023
Donations appreciated

A forbidden technical support question that I'm answering, but I know I'll come to regret it

>From: patty alpert
>Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 7:12 PM
>Subject: shanghai 2nd dynasty
>hi tom,
>long time fan of your shanghai 2nd dynasty user. (i use it almost every day!!)
>i'm having a problem, maybe you can help. i already have the 2008 card programmed in (it was a snap). but some glitch has occurred. the program keeps freezing up..something is sucking up all my cpu.
>heres my question: ive un-installed and re-installed several times. (it takes forever)
>is there a short cut to JUST installing JUST the american NMJL version instead of all the solitaire and different versions of mahjong?
>ANY help you have would be greatly appreciated
>patty

Hi Patty,
I'm putting on my magical April Fool hat, jamming my index fingers into my temples, and squinting my eyes real hard... trying to see through the Internet... and look into your computer...
AHA! You have the old green CD, and you've never downloaded the patch from Activision. Am I right? Am I right?

As you might have surmised from the magical vision I had there just now, you need to download the patch from Activision. But you're not allowed to ask me how to do that (see FAQ 24, above left). You're an experienced Internet wiz, and therefore you can figure out all by yourself how to find Activision's website, then how to find Activision's support page, then how to find and download and install the patch.

AND here's another thing you need to do - copy the file ALPBRWDL.q3 from the CD to the folder C:\Program Files\Activision\Shanghai Second Dynasty\q3. But you're not allowed to ask me how to do that (see FAQ 24, above left). You're an experienced computer wiz, and therefore you can figure out all by yourself how to find a file on the CD, open two folders, and drag and drop a file from one to the other.

One last thing. Do NOT tell anybody I helped you with this -- Please! And never ask me another technical support question again (please)! (Read FAQ 24.) I'm probably going to regret that I helped you today (there'll probably be a flood of tech support questions now, and I'm gonna get real surly on them all).
Tom Sloper / トム·スローパー / 湯姆斯洛珀 / 탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
April Fool's Day, 2008
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West. Available at bookstores, BN.com, and Amazon.com.

All the patch servers are no longer working!

>From: Ruud Snoep @ tiscali.nl
>Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 8:10 AM
>Subject: xp patch mahjong second dynasty
>hello tom, do you know a site where to download the windows xp patch for mahjong second dynasty; i have the cd but up to now it is only working on my windows 98 and on google all the servers i found with the patch are no longer working; thank you; ruud snoep.

中&西: Hello Ruud,
I respectfully request that you please do not ask me any technical support questions for any computer games, including the Shanghai games that I designed and produced when I was an employee of Activision.
But to answer your question, you shouldn't be using Google. You should just be going directly to http://www.activision.com/support/. The patch is right there.
Greetz,
Tom Sloper / トム·スローパー / 湯姆斯洛珀 / 탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
January 27, 2008
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
Available at bookstores, BN.com, and Amazon.com.

To all my beloved readers: Please never ask me technical support questions for any computer games, including the Shanghai games I made when I was employed by Activision eight years ago. Read FAQ 24.

>From: Baseballsteveatl©aol.com
>Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 14:48:14 EDT
>Subject: help
>To: tomster®sloperama.com
>I have the caribbean mah jong game on the pc, its a good game but the only problem is the score continues without starting again when you have finished playing, so can i stop the score from carrying on.
>with thanks steve

Hello Steve,
Read FAQ 24.
May the answer be with you.
Tom Sloper (湯姆スローパー)
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
September 13, 2006

>From: Mea305®aol.com
>To: tomster©sloperama.com
>Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 10:37 AM
>Subject: Paid the $19.95 for game, never got to download
>
>Tom:
>After receiving your e-mail, I chose to download the "Yahoo" version of Mahjong (depicted in FAQ #12), but after I submitted my information, which went through, the site never permitted me to download the software. Is there a means in which you can help me?
>Thanks,
>Mark

Hi Mark, you wrote:

After receiving your e-mail,
I only responded to a newsgroup post. Because that's a rarely-used newsgroup and you're on AOL, I thought it might be a good idea to also CC you directly (in addition to posting the response on that newsgroup). I don't give private mah-jongg answers.

I chose to download the "Yahoo" version of Mahjong (depicted in FAQ #12)
I haven't got any pictures of any games in FAQ 12.

Paid the $19.95 for game
Oh - you chose a download, not one of their free online-playable ones. And I see now that you're talking about a tile-matching game. I assume you're talking about MahjongQuest. Don't they have a free trial version?

the site never permitted me to download the software.
Well, that's not good!

Is there a means in which you can help me?
Read FAQ 24. The FAQs are above left.

May the software be with you.
Tom Sloper (湯姆スローパー)
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
08.07.06

>From: Mea305€aol.com
>To: tomster€sloperama.com
>Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 12:20 PM
>Subject: Re: Paid the $19.95 for game, never got to download
>
>Tom:
>Once again, I wrote to you in haste. Embedded within an e-mail I received from the site, was an icon that permitted me to downloaded the program. It has been done. Have tiles, will play.
>Mark

>From: "ELIZABETH BASTIAN" [bastian33{}earthlink.net)
>Subject: shanghai installtion
>Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 08:21:53 -0500
>Hello. I have a Shanghai Second Dyansty CD which I purchased a few years back to be installed on Windows 95/98. Can I install it on Windows XP. Tried to, but it seems to be stuck on 3.5 completion. Thanks for your advice.
>ELIZABETH BASTIAN
>bastian33%earthlink.net

Activision's Customer Support number is (310) 255-2050
Tom Sloper (湯姆スローパー)

Los Angeles, CA (USA)
March 27, 2006

>Name = bunny
>Email = bunny282001[at]yahoo.com.au
>Date = 1 Feb.2006
>Comments = Hi, i joined tumj.com The problem is can get into their
>chatroom but not the mahjong room.Every time i get lost connection.I asked
>how many people for help but it looks like nobody can help me.I e-mail
>the adm. twice and never get a e-mail back.

Bunny, I have nothing to do with that game or that site. If it doesn't work for you and nobody'll answer emails, you can try asking other users in the forums again. If you don't get any help, then why not just use a different online game? There are lots of them listed in FAQ 5 -- see the FAQ links above left.
Please don't ask me for help with any of those games. What am I, your friendly neighborhood computer support guy? \(^_^)/
Tom Sloper (湯姆スローパー)

Los Angeles, CA (USA)
January 31, 2006

>Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 12:08:48 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Rena T
>Subject: Shanghai Dynasty
>Hi Tom,
>I'm trying to install the program on my new laptop,
>from the original cd. It seems to install just fine,
>but when I click the icon, it won't open. I go to
>re-install, and it says it can't find sla.txt and when
>I search my hard drive I don't have this file. Do you
>know this problem?
>Can you help?
>Thanks,
>Rena

Call (310) 255-2050.
Tom

>Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 05:53:32 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Rena T
>Subject: Re: Shanghai Dynasty
>I don't know what time zone you're in, so I'll call
>you this afternoon. I've tried changing the
>compatibility to be Windows 95, then 98, then 2000.
>None of those helped. I changed the 480x640
>[BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH]
>[BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH]
>Rena

(310) 255-2050 is the phone number for Activision.
I do not provide technical support for any computer games.
Tom

>Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 10:32:42 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Rena T
>Subject: Re: Shanghai Dynasty
>OK. Thanks. I guess it just won't run on thissystem.

Fine. It's no skin off my nose. Je repète: I do not provide technical support for any computer games. If you have a technical problem with a computer game (ANY computer game), you have to contact the game's publisher! Look in the game's Help menu. Look in the game's manual. Look up the game on the internet - find out how to contact the publisher, and ask THEM for your technical support. PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME ANY COMPUTER GAME SUPPORT QUESTIONS. Thanks in advance for your very kind cooperation with this reasonable request.
Tom Sloper (湯姆スローパー)

Los Angeles, CA (USA)
August 4, 2005 (Year of the Rooster)

>From: pam
>Subject: Question
>Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 15:46:51 +0000
>Dear Tom,
>I know you don't want questions about Shanghai Mah Jongg computer games but I would like to ask anyway.
>I have the Shanghai Mah Jongg Esentials game... using the National Mah Jongg League card... Last year when we updated to Windows XP I could not play the game anymore...

Pam, Activision's phone number is (310) 255-2050.
Tom

>From: Richard
>Subject: Shanghai
>Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 14:40:25 -0400
>My wife is addicted to Shanghai 2nd Dynasty. While on vacation, she'd like to play the game on our laptop, which uses Windows XP Home, but it won't load. What can we do? - Dick

Call Activision, Dick. (310) 255-2050.
Tom