Can anyone do some updates of the software? Like new cards and such?
believe it or not, I've found a couple updates to this old game. In fact the thread titled Manalink 2.0 is about an update to the mircroprose game. manalink 2.0 adds the missing cards from the dark and legends plus most of 8th edition, there is a link in that thread to download it. these new cards are not available in the shandalar version but are availble for duels and sealed deck.
there is also an even rarer version that includes a bunch of cards, this version adds cards at the expense of removing some. Most of the cards removed were the wards and lucky charms. And you should check out manalink.de, we are community trying to implement more cards.
Is it not possible to just add any number of cards? Aside from programming new abilities, is there a reason most cards could not be added? I would love to see the sealed deck in this game be usable with newer sets, that would be awesome.
the process for adding new cards is shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
As somebody who's working on an AI Magic-playing project, I think I can probably shed some light as to why it's shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
Adding cards to the set is one thing. After the cards are added, the rules enforcement has to be updated so the cards play correct. Say somebody were to add Plainswalkers to Microprose's game. You'd have to provide instructions as to how Plainswalkers are to be properly handled (i.e. one use per turn, can be targeted for attacks, etc). That part isn't so hard.
What is hard is teaching the AI to perform those actions as oppose to other actions. You have to provide the AI enough of a reason to direct attackers to the Plainswalker, and then give it the ability to make that decision over other decisions.
In order to do this, one needs access to the developmental tools used to make the game (the biggest of them being the source code, which as far as I know is not available).
As you describe that, FAPPYcat, I can't help but think that it sounds like you're leaving something out, not to be rude or anything.
Say you wanted to implement Jace Beleren. Why is it easier to replace something with Jace Beleren than to simply add Jace Beleren? Either way, the rules enforcement must be updated, right?
Based on your answer, I can certainly see why cards added are not available inside of Shandalar (you can't update AI), but only in duels and sealed deck. But it either doesn't tell why you can't just add cards freely, or you're assuming the readers to know something that they (or atleast I) do not.
Pichoro echoes my question perfectly. I understand the difficulty of actually implementing any new card, especially to the point that a computer can semi-effectively use it, but why is it that cards can only be added at the expense of a different card. Why can't 2000 cards potentially be added if one were able to program them properly? From my understanding that isn't possible, the number of cards in Shandalar currently is the maximum number of cards ever to be in it.
Also, from what I could pick up from the Manalink forums, a member was able to more or less obtain the source code and use it add cards (again, this is just my understanding) but then he more or less disappeared.
Bleh, would be awesome to see it work, but doesn't sound feasible.
As you describe that, FAPPYcat, I can't help but think that it sounds like you're leaving something out, not to be rude or anything.
Say you wanted to implement Jace Beleren. Why is it easier to replace something with Jace Beleren than to simply add Cancel? Either way, the rules enforcement must be updated, right?
Based on your answer, I can certainly see why cards added are not available inside of Shandalar (you can't update AI), but only in duels and sealed deck. But it either doesn't tell why you can't just add cards freely, or you're assuming the readers to know something that they (or atleast I) do not.
When you're playing the duel or sealed mode, the game still uses rules enforcement. Implementing Jace would be pretty simple...
1. Just like any card, the controller must pay a certain mana cost to cast Jace Beleren into play. So, either add the mana and click the card, or click the card and add mana, or doubleclick if the mana is available. Card goes into play like any permanant.
2. The abilities (correct me if I'm wrong) play at sorcery speed, so you can use any of the three abilities in the precombat main phase or postcombat main phase. So you click the card, tell it which ability you want to use (+2 for every play to draw one, -1 for a target player to draw a card, and -10 for a target player to mull 20), and the game takes it from there. It adjusts the counters on Jace automatically, and enforces the required drawing or mulling, provided a necessary target is provided at the time of casting.
Tragically, the program has to be taught how to do this. The program has to know that when the (A) ability is used, (B) has to happen as a result of it. This isn't Apprentice, where everything is done by the player. Microprose's program handles all of it, so you have to instruct the program as to how it is supposed to be handled.
3. Next comes instructing the program that Jace, like the other four planeswalkers, is a planeswalker. A planeswalker is not like a creature, a spell, a land, etc. Therefore, just about as much coding will be necessary to implement the planeswalker as was necessary to implement any other card type. The reason for this is pretty simple:
a - Planeswalkers can be targetted for attack, just like the player. As it stands, there's nothing in the program whatsoever to simulate a creature attacking anything other than another player.
b - instants and sorceries that target players to deal damage must also be rewritten because of the process involved to (re)direct any kind of direct damage from a player to a planeswalker.
Honestly, from there, anybody with any decent AI experience and familiarity with Microprose's source only has to add some simple prioritizing so the AI knows when to target the planeswalker as oppose to the opposing player. But before this final step can be taken, you have to do all of that other stuff first to make a planeswalker even function in the game. But until all of that other rules enforcement nonsense is written into the program, nothing can happen whatsoever.
And once again, you can't do this without some sort of slate, i.e. source code, to work with.
why is it that cards can only be added at the expense of a different card. Why can't 2000 cards potentially be added if one were able to program them properly? From my understanding that isn't possible, the number of cards in Shandalar currently is the maximum number of cards ever to be in it.
The main problem here, it seems anyway, is that whoever was responsible for managing the project didn't anticipate the addition of more cards in the future, and figured that if a time came when more expansions would be added (like Duel of the Planeswalkers), they could just rework the engine's abilities to handle a set number of cards. It's a pretty sloppy way of doing things, if you ask me.
But they could've also done it so they could prevent players like us from adding more cards in the future, that way only Microprose could do it if and when Wizards gave Microprose more money to make another expansion.
The program I'm working on, that I'm not quite yet ready to announce officially, uses designated integer values to represent cards. Every card exists as an integer - for example, Plains #364 from Tenth Edition is 01010364 - 01 for CORESET, 010 for 10E, 364 for the card number. When the program gets the number, it pulls it apart, finds the card it represents, loads the card into memory and does whatever the card does from there (puts it into play, taps for mana, etc. This is all done automatically through rules enforcement). That way, if I continue working on it, I could feasibly add every card that ever existed to the game. Currently I've written all of the white 10E cards and those cards necessary for the Cho theme deck in so I could work on some basic AI and hammer the rules enforcement down so I know that everything is actually possible (hence why I'm not announcing yet).
Current progress - passing turn phases and structure, starting a game and the user interface works flawlessly. The AI knows when to draw, when to untap and can keep track of its hand and library. Playing land is possible, but I'm currently writing the processes that must take place when, say, Ancestor's Chosen comes into play (gain a life for every card in your graveyard). I was thinking a beta would come out when all five 10E decks are written in and the AI can, you know, beat a player if at all possible when given either a deck or a random pool of cards.
Your project sounds interesting, but makes me wonder why you haven't gotten together with somebody else working on something similar, such as mtgrares, a user who visits here and has a program for AI. Or even better, why not combine with like Firemox or somebody who is working with rules enforcement, and build an AI to go with it?
I still feel like my question wasn't answered. You say source code is needed to add cards, but is it not necessary for replacing them and updating the rules enforcement? I'm beginning to think this is definetly just a lack of knowledge on my part.
Your project sounds interesting, but makes me wonder why you haven't gotten together with somebody else working on something similar, such as mtgrares, a user who visits here and has a program for AI. Or even better, why not combine with like Firemox or somebody who is working with rules enforcement, and build an AI to go with it?
I'll get into this more later.... to put it simply though, I'm just doing this for fun, and have a trust issue when it comes to working with other people on pretty much anything. I'm much happier out on my own.
I still feel like my question wasn't answered. You say source code is needed to add cards, but is it not necessary for replacing them and updating the rules enforcement? I'm beginning to think this is definetly just a lack of knowledge on my part.
I don't think that source code would be required to replace cards with other cards (though there may definitely be some instances where it would be necessary, such as when a card has an ability that the program wasn't previously written to support), but to update rules enforcement, I can't see how it would be possible without source code.
The inspiration behind my project was seeing the budget-elementals-decks posts on the frontpage of magicthegathering.com a few days ago, and wondering how cool it would be to just import that deck list into something and play against it immediately, or to play with it, etc. Also, to build a T2 deck and be able to test it against other typically popular decks or to see how it handles in given situations, etc.... that's what I'm going for. It isn't as much a way to play other people (a feature I'm currently NOT planning to implement) as it is a way to play anything against anything instantly and, if you want, rigorously test any deck under any situation almost instantly.
Well Jace was obviously about as bad of an example as possible, but yea I get the point of the difficulty of implementing new cards. I mean, MODO has had trouble with some cards and they have a whole staff working on it. I just wish it were possible to add cards that weren't too complicated just to make sealed and duel more interesting.
Well Jace was obviously about as bad of an example as possible, but yea I get the point of the difficulty of implementing new cards. I mean, MODO has had trouble with some cards and they have a whole staff working on it. I just wish it were possible to add cards that weren't too complicated just to make sealed and duel more interesting.
Actually, Jace was probably the easiest example.......
Garruk can give everything Overrun, Ajani can give everything +1/+1 and first strike, Chandra deals 10 dmg to every creature an opponent controls and Liliana switches control of dead creatures over to an opposing player (along with creatures in your own graveyard) - those abilities are all much, much more complex than all of jace's combined.
There's a huge difference between adding cards and replacing cards. Replacing cards could be as simple as messing with a few INI files or hexediting some compiled DLL files so the reference points and data for certain elements is slightly different. Adding cards would require the creation of new data, even if it's an off-shoot of already existing data. That could be possible via hexediting or whatever (I've never personally tried it... so I might be taking the completely wrong approach here), but you'd have to write the code in to represent those cards, and then more code so the cards are implemented properly. This not only relates to writing the code for the card, but also for the rules enforcement. So, if you are really good at hex sequencing and understanding machine code then all the power to you, adding cards could very well be possible but it'd be very, very time consuming, very frustrating and a million times easier if you had the code and compiler necessary to make the machine code instead of just editing the code directly.
And this doesn't take into account the cards you're adding or replacing having previously unwritten card abilities (such as Shadow. Even though it's definitely not a new ability, it is something that did not exist when Microprose made the game). Implementing something like Shadow into rules enforcement will take a HUGE amount of extra work.
Your project sounds interesting, but makes me wonder why you haven't gotten together with somebody else working on something similar, such as mtgrares, a user who visits here and has a program for AI. Or even better, why not combine with like Firemox or somebody who is working with rules enforcement, and build an AI to go with it?
Also, to clarify on this a bit, I thought about working with other people, specifically working with rares, but one of the things that kept me distant from that path was the legal situation he's in. One of the things I'm planning with my project is to have Wizards' permission to use the Magic name (at least to the extent that I am allowed to use card names). I want this to happen, because if I can pull the project off, it could very possibly compete against MTGO, so it'd be best if I had Wizards' expressed approval to use the name incase that time ever comes.
I did talk to Rares a tiny bit about the situation he's in when I started working on this a month ago, and he willingly sent me the program and source code (then put it on MediaShare :-D), but I haven't even bothered looking at the code, not only because he worked in java and I am not but also because I don't want to borrow any of his thunder in the development of AI. Though, I do have Forge installed on both my PC and laptop, and when I get stuck on something I do hop over onto his program to see how he handled it. So there are a couple of design themes you might recognize between the two (and when the time comes, he will receive credit).
Also, I find that it's easier to develop the AI if you're familiar with the environment the AI exists in. I'm writing all of this program from scratch - I started this thing with a random number generator to shuffle an array of 60 integers and something to simulate D20 rolls.
Another reason to not work with anybody else is, well... I'm not all that good at programming. I'm about as good at it as I am at childbirth. So I feel a lot more comfortable working things out on my own and learning the hard way isntead of having to collaborate and possibly slow down another person. To add, AI is a strong fascination of mine, ever since I made a tic tac toe program in a computer language designed to draw objects and couldn't find anybody who could beat it. So the ability to do this for a game I've been playing since Mirage came out is something I'm totally stoked about.
I know how to do everything that needs to be done, I understand how even things like all of the Planeswalkers can and will be written and how the AI will favor them over other ones... I just have to get there (seriously, the rules enforcement with Jace is way too easy).
I think what Dragon Master meant was that Jace was a bad example of all the cards that could be added. Cancel for example. Why can't cancel be added? It is simply counterspell for 1 more mana. Seems simple enough. Or Isamaru, a 2/2 for W.
I think what Dragon Master meant was that Jace was a bad example of all the cards that could be added. Cancel for example. Why can't cancel be added? It is simply counterspell for 1 more mana. Seems simple enough. Or Isamaru, a 2/2 for W.
Those would both be relatively easy.... provided that there was legendary support in the program. I don't think there were any legends in The Dark or the first couple core sets
Someone should add the good cards that wouldn't take much effort to reprogram. I think it would be fun to play and be able to make really good aggro decks and control decks and such.
Someone should add the good cards that wouldn't take much effort to reprogram. I think it would be fun to play and be able to make really good aggro decks and control decks and such.
Well, his point was that actually adding cards is much too tedious without the source code, but if we were to get it, would anyone be willing to take the time to at the very least add a bunch of staples or add a full block or something so we could do sealed?
I would be willing to help with any project to whatever extent I can, seeing as I know 0 about programming, but yea..
Well, his point was that actually adding cards is much too tedious without the source code, but if we were to get it, would anyone be willing to take the time to at the very least add a bunch of staples or add a full block or something so we could do sealed?
I would be willing to help with any project to whatever extent I can, seeing as I know 0 about programming, but yea..
Against AI or against other players? I would think that it'd be a lot easier to just create a new program instead of working with one that you have to patch to get it to even work, that way even the most technically unsavvy of users can use it and enjoy it almost immediately.
The project I'm working on is the epitomy of easy. It's being written in Visual Basic 2008, which has the ability to automatically make an installer that automatically downloads the dotnet tools if the computer doesn't have them already. That way, as long as the user is running Windows 2000, XP or Vista, getting it to work no matter what they're using is automated and just a couple "Next" clicks away.
And as far as the user interface is concerned...
The user interface is static, but it accomodates for 36 creatures, 24 land and 10 enchantments per side (which will likely change to something with less creatures and more enchantments). Depending on the controller of the turn phase, the background to the play area and life counter changes from blue/white to red if it is your turn or the opponents turn. When selecting a card from your hand, it displays the card in the "Viewer" and when you click the card while it's in play, card abilities are listed and selectable below the "Viewer". All cards display tap status and the name of the card, while creature cards also display power, toughness and attacking status (tap status exists as a black bar that says "TAPPED" and attack status exists as a red bar that says "ATTACKING", both across the card). The two non-functioning text boxes, above the player life and to the left of the computer's life, are not-yet-functioning graveyard boxes.
Thoughts? There are two other tabs with the Viewer that exist only for beta testing (to add specific cards automatically so you can test them or lists that show the computers hand and library and your library, to see if the computer and the program itself are working right)... not sure why I blurred them out but I just felt like it because I love the blur tool.
I'm not seeing it slowing completely to a stop, but I have seen it take a minute or two to auto-tap lands to pay for a spell card in my hand that I've doubleclicked. For some reason this happens only when it's autotapping a Revised dual land and not a Factory or City of Brass.
What would it take to get the new mulligans implemented in Shandalar? I'm getting tired of losing games due to being forced to keep six colored spells and a Mishra's Factory.
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Hey all... I'm retired, not dead. Check out what I'm doing these days (and beg me to come back if you want):
SotA was a retail update to the old MtG game that included Shandalar.
I can't help you get the game itself... I've heard there are a few ebay sellers that still have it in stock, though.
To get the Manalink 2.0 update, go to the manalink.de forums, register, and use the points you get for registering to go into their "shop" and "buy" the update. It's pretty useless as a multiplayer client, but it also introduces more recent art for the cards already in Shandalar. This at least alleviates some of the visual boredom, since it has a LOT of basic land art (P3K anyone?)
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Hey all... I'm retired, not dead. Check out what I'm doing these days (and beg me to come back if you want):
MTG game is considered abandonware and can be found at lots of Bittorrent sites. There is a full version out there that I d/led recently that has all the games and manalink 2.0 included.
Here ya go dug it out of my history:
snip
good luck please post if this helps.
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What would it take to get the new mulligans implemented in Shandalar? I'm getting tired of losing games due to being forced to keep six colored spells and a Mishra's Factory.
Quite a bit. You'd have to write or alter a bit of code that executes at the beginning of the game, and then write code so the AI can do the same and so that it knows -how- to do it and -when- to do it (if you wanted it in Shandalar).
Hi! I'm new here, I'm from Argentina.
I've installed Manalink 2.0 but encountered some problems:
First of all -and most important- is that over 95% of the new cards don't load their respective images during game or in "Build Deck" mode. You can see the text box, name, p/t and casting cost; they are playable too, but the card art box is blank!
The second problem I found is that sometimes, during game; the card art box fades away and blinks for a few moments, and then return to normal (this doesn't affect playability, but never happened before).
Oh, I run Windows 98 2nd Edition (XP And Vista don't allow DOS games and I love 'em).
Hope anyone knows what's happening and can help me. I apologize for my bad-written english :S
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believe it or not, I've found a couple updates to this old game. In fact the thread titled Manalink 2.0 is about an update to the mircroprose game. manalink 2.0 adds the missing cards from the dark and legends plus most of 8th edition, there is a link in that thread to download it. these new cards are not available in the shandalar version but are availble for duels and sealed deck.
there is also an even rarer version that includes a bunch of cards, this version adds cards at the expense of removing some. Most of the cards removed were the wards and lucky charms. And you should check out manalink.de, we are community trying to implement more cards.
Banner and avatar by Maxeel at Midnight GFX
As somebody who's working on an AI Magic-playing project, I think I can probably shed some light as to why it's shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
Adding cards to the set is one thing. After the cards are added, the rules enforcement has to be updated so the cards play correct. Say somebody were to add Plainswalkers to Microprose's game. You'd have to provide instructions as to how Plainswalkers are to be properly handled (i.e. one use per turn, can be targeted for attacks, etc). That part isn't so hard.
What is hard is teaching the AI to perform those actions as oppose to other actions. You have to provide the AI enough of a reason to direct attackers to the Plainswalker, and then give it the ability to make that decision over other decisions.
In order to do this, one needs access to the developmental tools used to make the game (the biggest of them being the source code, which as far as I know is not available).
Say you wanted to implement Jace Beleren. Why is it easier to replace something with Jace Beleren than to simply add Jace Beleren? Either way, the rules enforcement must be updated, right?
Based on your answer, I can certainly see why cards added are not available inside of Shandalar (you can't update AI), but only in duels and sealed deck. But it either doesn't tell why you can't just add cards freely, or you're assuming the readers to know something that they (or atleast I) do not.
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Also, from what I could pick up from the Manalink forums, a member was able to more or less obtain the source code and use it add cards (again, this is just my understanding) but then he more or less disappeared.
Bleh, would be awesome to see it work, but doesn't sound feasible.
Banner and avatar by Maxeel at Midnight GFX
When you're playing the duel or sealed mode, the game still uses rules enforcement. Implementing Jace would be pretty simple...
1. Just like any card, the controller must pay a certain mana cost to cast Jace Beleren into play. So, either add the mana and click the card, or click the card and add mana, or doubleclick if the mana is available. Card goes into play like any permanant.
2. The abilities (correct me if I'm wrong) play at sorcery speed, so you can use any of the three abilities in the precombat main phase or postcombat main phase. So you click the card, tell it which ability you want to use (+2 for every play to draw one, -1 for a target player to draw a card, and -10 for a target player to mull 20), and the game takes it from there. It adjusts the counters on Jace automatically, and enforces the required drawing or mulling, provided a necessary target is provided at the time of casting.
Tragically, the program has to be taught how to do this. The program has to know that when the (A) ability is used, (B) has to happen as a result of it. This isn't Apprentice, where everything is done by the player. Microprose's program handles all of it, so you have to instruct the program as to how it is supposed to be handled.
3. Next comes instructing the program that Jace, like the other four planeswalkers, is a planeswalker. A planeswalker is not like a creature, a spell, a land, etc. Therefore, just about as much coding will be necessary to implement the planeswalker as was necessary to implement any other card type. The reason for this is pretty simple:
a - Planeswalkers can be targetted for attack, just like the player. As it stands, there's nothing in the program whatsoever to simulate a creature attacking anything other than another player.
b - instants and sorceries that target players to deal damage must also be rewritten because of the process involved to (re)direct any kind of direct damage from a player to a planeswalker.
Honestly, from there, anybody with any decent AI experience and familiarity with Microprose's source only has to add some simple prioritizing so the AI knows when to target the planeswalker as oppose to the opposing player. But before this final step can be taken, you have to do all of that other stuff first to make a planeswalker even function in the game. But until all of that other rules enforcement nonsense is written into the program, nothing can happen whatsoever.
And once again, you can't do this without some sort of slate, i.e. source code, to work with.
The main problem here, it seems anyway, is that whoever was responsible for managing the project didn't anticipate the addition of more cards in the future, and figured that if a time came when more expansions would be added (like Duel of the Planeswalkers), they could just rework the engine's abilities to handle a set number of cards. It's a pretty sloppy way of doing things, if you ask me.
But they could've also done it so they could prevent players like us from adding more cards in the future, that way only Microprose could do it if and when Wizards gave Microprose more money to make another expansion.
The program I'm working on, that I'm not quite yet ready to announce officially, uses designated integer values to represent cards. Every card exists as an integer - for example, Plains #364 from Tenth Edition is 01010364 - 01 for CORESET, 010 for 10E, 364 for the card number. When the program gets the number, it pulls it apart, finds the card it represents, loads the card into memory and does whatever the card does from there (puts it into play, taps for mana, etc. This is all done automatically through rules enforcement). That way, if I continue working on it, I could feasibly add every card that ever existed to the game. Currently I've written all of the white 10E cards and those cards necessary for the Cho theme deck in so I could work on some basic AI and hammer the rules enforcement down so I know that everything is actually possible (hence why I'm not announcing yet).
Current progress - passing turn phases and structure, starting a game and the user interface works flawlessly. The AI knows when to draw, when to untap and can keep track of its hand and library. Playing land is possible, but I'm currently writing the processes that must take place when, say, Ancestor's Chosen comes into play (gain a life for every card in your graveyard). I was thinking a beta would come out when all five 10E decks are written in and the AI can, you know, beat a player if at all possible when given either a deck or a random pool of cards.
I still feel like my question wasn't answered. You say source code is needed to add cards, but is it not necessary for replacing them and updating the rules enforcement? I'm beginning to think this is definetly just a lack of knowledge on my part.
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I'll get into this more later.... to put it simply though, I'm just doing this for fun, and have a trust issue when it comes to working with other people on pretty much anything. I'm much happier out on my own.
I don't think that source code would be required to replace cards with other cards (though there may definitely be some instances where it would be necessary, such as when a card has an ability that the program wasn't previously written to support), but to update rules enforcement, I can't see how it would be possible without source code.
The inspiration behind my project was seeing the budget-elementals-decks posts on the frontpage of magicthegathering.com a few days ago, and wondering how cool it would be to just import that deck list into something and play against it immediately, or to play with it, etc. Also, to build a T2 deck and be able to test it against other typically popular decks or to see how it handles in given situations, etc.... that's what I'm going for. It isn't as much a way to play other people (a feature I'm currently NOT planning to implement) as it is a way to play anything against anything instantly and, if you want, rigorously test any deck under any situation almost instantly.
Banner and avatar by Maxeel at Midnight GFX
Actually, Jace was probably the easiest example.......
Garruk can give everything Overrun, Ajani can give everything +1/+1 and first strike, Chandra deals 10 dmg to every creature an opponent controls and Liliana switches control of dead creatures over to an opposing player (along with creatures in your own graveyard) - those abilities are all much, much more complex than all of jace's combined.
More information about this....
There's a huge difference between adding cards and replacing cards. Replacing cards could be as simple as messing with a few INI files or hexediting some compiled DLL files so the reference points and data for certain elements is slightly different. Adding cards would require the creation of new data, even if it's an off-shoot of already existing data. That could be possible via hexediting or whatever (I've never personally tried it... so I might be taking the completely wrong approach here), but you'd have to write the code in to represent those cards, and then more code so the cards are implemented properly. This not only relates to writing the code for the card, but also for the rules enforcement. So, if you are really good at hex sequencing and understanding machine code then all the power to you, adding cards could very well be possible but it'd be very, very time consuming, very frustrating and a million times easier if you had the code and compiler necessary to make the machine code instead of just editing the code directly.
And this doesn't take into account the cards you're adding or replacing having previously unwritten card abilities (such as Shadow. Even though it's definitely not a new ability, it is something that did not exist when Microprose made the game). Implementing something like Shadow into rules enforcement will take a HUGE amount of extra work.
Also, to clarify on this a bit, I thought about working with other people, specifically working with rares, but one of the things that kept me distant from that path was the legal situation he's in. One of the things I'm planning with my project is to have Wizards' permission to use the Magic name (at least to the extent that I am allowed to use card names). I want this to happen, because if I can pull the project off, it could very possibly compete against MTGO, so it'd be best if I had Wizards' expressed approval to use the name incase that time ever comes.
I did talk to Rares a tiny bit about the situation he's in when I started working on this a month ago, and he willingly sent me the program and source code (then put it on MediaShare :-D), but I haven't even bothered looking at the code, not only because he worked in java and I am not but also because I don't want to borrow any of his thunder in the development of AI. Though, I do have Forge installed on both my PC and laptop, and when I get stuck on something I do hop over onto his program to see how he handled it. So there are a couple of design themes you might recognize between the two (and when the time comes, he will receive credit).
Also, I find that it's easier to develop the AI if you're familiar with the environment the AI exists in. I'm writing all of this program from scratch - I started this thing with a random number generator to shuffle an array of 60 integers and something to simulate D20 rolls.
Another reason to not work with anybody else is, well... I'm not all that good at programming. I'm about as good at it as I am at childbirth. So I feel a lot more comfortable working things out on my own and learning the hard way isntead of having to collaborate and possibly slow down another person. To add, AI is a strong fascination of mine, ever since I made a tic tac toe program in a computer language designed to draw objects and couldn't find anybody who could beat it. So the ability to do this for a game I've been playing since Mirage came out is something I'm totally stoked about.
I know how to do everything that needs to be done, I understand how even things like all of the Planeswalkers can and will be written and how the AI will favor them over other ones... I just have to get there (seriously, the rules enforcement with Jace is way too easy).
Those would both be relatively easy.... provided that there was legendary support in the program. I don't think there were any legends in The Dark or the first couple core sets
Well, his point was that actually adding cards is much too tedious without the source code, but if we were to get it, would anyone be willing to take the time to at the very least add a bunch of staples or add a full block or something so we could do sealed?
I would be willing to help with any project to whatever extent I can, seeing as I know 0 about programming, but yea..
Banner and avatar by Maxeel at Midnight GFX
Against AI or against other players? I would think that it'd be a lot easier to just create a new program instead of working with one that you have to patch to get it to even work, that way even the most technically unsavvy of users can use it and enjoy it almost immediately.
The project I'm working on is the epitomy of easy. It's being written in Visual Basic 2008, which has the ability to automatically make an installer that automatically downloads the dotnet tools if the computer doesn't have them already. That way, as long as the user is running Windows 2000, XP or Vista, getting it to work no matter what they're using is automated and just a couple "Next" clicks away.
And as far as the user interface is concerned...
The user interface is static, but it accomodates for 36 creatures, 24 land and 10 enchantments per side (which will likely change to something with less creatures and more enchantments). Depending on the controller of the turn phase, the background to the play area and life counter changes from blue/white to red if it is your turn or the opponents turn. When selecting a card from your hand, it displays the card in the "Viewer" and when you click the card while it's in play, card abilities are listed and selectable below the "Viewer". All cards display tap status and the name of the card, while creature cards also display power, toughness and attacking status (tap status exists as a black bar that says "TAPPED" and attack status exists as a red bar that says "ATTACKING", both across the card). The two non-functioning text boxes, above the player life and to the left of the computer's life, are not-yet-functioning graveyard boxes.
Thoughts? There are two other tabs with the Viewer that exist only for beta testing (to add specific cards automatically so you can test them or lists that show the computers hand and library and your library, to see if the computer and the program itself are working right)... not sure why I blurred them out but I just felt like it because I love the blur tool.
Banner and avatar by Maxeel at Midnight GFX
What would it take to get the new mulligans implemented in Shandalar? I'm getting tired of losing games due to being forced to keep six colored spells and a Mishra's Factory.
https://twitch.tv/annorax10 (classic retro speedruns & occasional MTGO/MTGA screwaround streams)
https://twitch.tv/SwiftorCasino (yes, my team and I run live dealer games for the baldman using his channel points as chips)
I can't help you get the game itself... I've heard there are a few ebay sellers that still have it in stock, though.
To get the Manalink 2.0 update, go to the manalink.de forums, register, and use the points you get for registering to go into their "shop" and "buy" the update. It's pretty useless as a multiplayer client, but it also introduces more recent art for the cards already in Shandalar. This at least alleviates some of the visual boredom, since it has a LOT of basic land art (P3K anyone?)
https://twitch.tv/annorax10 (classic retro speedruns & occasional MTGO/MTGA screwaround streams)
https://twitch.tv/SwiftorCasino (yes, my team and I run live dealer games for the baldman using his channel points as chips)
Here ya go dug it out of my history:
snip
good luck please post if this helps.
The software isn't public domain, abandonware isn't a legal classification, and our rules prohibit links to pirated software. Infraction and suspension issued. —Annorax
Quite a bit. You'd have to write or alter a bit of code that executes at the beginning of the game, and then write code so the AI can do the same and so that it knows -how- to do it and -when- to do it (if you wanted it in Shandalar).
I've installed Manalink 2.0 but encountered some problems:
First of all -and most important- is that over 95% of the new cards don't load their respective images during game or in "Build Deck" mode. You can see the text box, name, p/t and casting cost; they are playable too, but the card art box is blank!
The second problem I found is that sometimes, during game; the card art box fades away and blinks for a few moments, and then return to normal (this doesn't affect playability, but never happened before).
Oh, I run Windows 98 2nd Edition (XP And Vista don't allow DOS games and I love 'em).
Hope anyone knows what's happening and can help me. I apologize for my bad-written english :S