4. How to Start a New Game - Printable Version +- NMJLOnline FAQs (https://faqs.nmjlonline.com/forums) +-- Forum: New to NMJL Online? Start here (https://faqs.nmjlonline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=3) +--- Forum: Getting Started with NMJL Online (https://faqs.nmjlonline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=56) +--- Thread: 4. How to Start a New Game (/showthread.php?tid=76)

4. How to Start a New Game - tsloper_admin - 01-14-2025 4. How to Start a New Game After pressing New Game on the  Lobby, you enter the Create New Table screen.  You can start a table for only friends to join, or start a table with friendly strangers, or start a solo game with AI players (Artificial Intelligence "bots"). You can also have an AI player(s) fill a seat(s) at a table where there aren't enough people.  The options here are: Card Safety ON / Safety OFF Long Timer / Short Timer Assigned seating / Random seating Public game / Private game Card: Normally, this will be set to the current year's NMJL card, or the card you previously chose. Each year, a new card will unlock by or before April 1st. If you don't see the newest card in the dropdown list, the card hasn't yet been unlocked for all to play.  It is up to the host (the player who creates the table) to set the card for the table.  Safety ON vs. Safety OFF modes: Safety ON mode is the recommended mode for the majority of players who prefer not to have to press Pass on every single discard, and who prefer that the computer not permit them to make a fatal error (such as false declaration of mah jongg).  Safety OFF mode is more like real life; it permits you to call for a discard that would result in an erroneous mah jongg; thus the Pass button lights up, requiring you to press it, every time a new tile is discarded.  Timers: The AI bot players play very quickly in both speeds. The timers regulate how much time you can take "thinking" about every turn. Long Timer gives players a 5-minute turn timer and a 5-minute reserve timer.  Short Timer gives players a 3-minute turn timer and a 3-minute reserve timer. Note: there is no "pause" function in NMJL Online.  If you're playing against one or more other people, once you've started a game, you'd best not step away from the game "just for a minute," because "a minute" is never just a minute, and when you get back, a bot may have taken over your seat. If you are playing with only bots, the timers will continue to run down, but at the end of the timer nothing will happen. You can just keep playing. It's only when you are playing with other people that the game enforces the timers (so people don't have to wait if someone quits or loses their Internet connection). Assigned seating / Random seating: When Assigned seating is selected, players are seated around the table in the order in which they join the table.  If Random seating is selected, the players will be seated in random order around the table. Public table / Private table: If you create a Public table, the table will appear in the Lobby and other people in the Lobby can join your table. When you create a Private table, no strangers will appear at your table. You can play by yourself with AI bot players, or invite friends to join your table. The game will give you a "Room Code" that you can send to your friends by email, text, or phone.  For more details, see  How do I get people to play with me? When you're satisfied with the settings, click Create.  Previous NEXT