Custom Set Editor - Sneak preview

[jatill]

My current project is to make an application that will let each person choose which 2000 cards they want in their version of magic (since there are more than 2500 cards available now, but we are limited to ~ 2000 at a time).

To do this I have to learn Visual Basic. Here's my first iteration. It doesn't really DO anything, so the only feedback I'm looking for now is:

1) Does it launch on your version of windows
2) Interface / usability suggestions

Right now the search buttons do actually work, and I'm pretty pleased with how far I've come in just a few hours of learning. The idea is that you'll find a card in either "Constructed" or "Limited" and then copy that card, and paste it into the "Custom" version.

Note: this program expects that your magic files will be in C:\Magic.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/0rok2kmiu ... Editor.exe

If that doesn't work, you can try running the installer. 'Ignore' and errors.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/o2jj2ow1fif/set editor.zip

[Gargaroz]

Wow, I din't know you already have putted something together ! My topic about what cards can be removed is already surpassed, and this tool would be surely better !

Edit :
First impressions - Simply but cool. You'll have to give it a fixed window size when it star (on my XP, it started in a little square and I could not find the buttons until I enlarged the window).
But now I've another concern : to make everything simpler, we'll need an editor capable of storing more than 2000 cards, so we can manage a sort of "master list" from wich everyone can pick what he wants for the custom version. Did the current editor can manage more than 2000 entries ?

[Triadasoul]

Runtime-error '76': Path not found.

Put it into C:\Magic. Windows XP.

[Bog Wraith]

Runtime-error '76': Path not found.

Put it into C:\Magic. Windows XP.

Same thing here. XP Pro!

[mathusalem]

I got runtime error '339'

I'm windows XP family edition SP 3

EDIT : to be precise concerning the runtime error : it says COMDLG32.OCX or one of its dependencies is not correctly registered, a file is missing or invalid.

[Gargaroz]

Jatill, if I remember correctly, in VB there's an option like our "Deploy.bat" that makes an installer with all the needed file. Probably, many people will need it to run the program. Strangely, on my XP (SP 2), it works correctly, but perhaps I have all the needed fils installed from some other program I downloaded.

[jatill]

Jatill, if I remember correctly, in VB there's an option like our "Deploy.bat" that makes an installer with all the needed file. Probably, many people will need it to run the program. Strangely, on my XP (SP 2), it works correctly, but perhaps I have all the needed fils installed from some other program I downloaded.

I tried to put an installer together. Hopefully this will help. It still expects that your magic files are all in c:\magic.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/o2jj2ow1fif/set editor.zip

[informative]

Wow I had no idea we had exceeded 2000 cards already. Just kicking ideas around.

Would it be logical if even possible to maybe just eliminate some cards to get an ultimate ideal set of 2000 cards that everyone might be happy with? Many cards are obsolete in the sense that a better card exists such as a 2/2 nonflying card of the same color and mana cost as a 3/2 nonflying card would make the 2/2 mostly obsolete. Thus helping people simply avoid poor card choices by removing them from the game and helping us get back under 2000 cards. In fact many cards might be considered poor choices and exists in very few 'good' decks could also be considered for dropping from our ideal 2000 cards?

May be a bad idea but since my main way to play is make a deck and test them out by playing against many random decks computer controlled, I would not know which decks would be regular or limited. If I could even ever figure out how to play with the constructed vs limited vs custom decks, I would probably quickly find myself lost in some way. In my perfect world at some point we may want to bronze this and have the 'ultimate magic' for non-developers to simply go wow for the next 20 years over.

I'm not suggesting taking away anyones joy of coding, developing problem solving for many new cards in any way, just saying if it never reaches a "repack" stage where we can build a single MAGIC.ZIP which people can share and be on the same version with all the same 2000 cards, these things tend to dissipate and scatter instead of drawing in more players (of a less technical nature like me)

[mathusalem]

Wow I had no idea we had exceeded 2000 cards already. Just kicking ideas around.

Would it be logical if even possible to maybe just eliminate some cards to get an ultimate ideal set of 2000 cards that everyone might be happy with? Many cards are obsolete in the sense that a better card exists such as a 2/2 nonflying card of the same color and mana cost as a 3/2 nonflying card would make the 2/2 mostly obsolete. Thus helping people simply avoid poor card choices by removing them from the game and helping us get back under 2000 cards. In fact many cards might be considered poor choices and exists in very few 'good' decks could also be considered for dropping from our ideal 2000 cards?

May be a bad idea but since my main way to play is make a deck and test them out by playing against many random decks computer controlled, I would not know which decks would be regular or limited. If I could even ever figure out how to play with the constructed vs limited vs custom decks, I would probably quickly find myself lost in some way. In my perfect world at some point we may want to bronze this and have the 'ultimate magic' for non-developers to simply go wow for the next 20 years over.

I'm not suggesting taking away anyones joy of coding, developing problem solving for many new cards in any way, just saying if it never reaches a "repack" stage where we can build a single MAGIC.ZIP which people can share and be on the same version with all the same 2000 cards, these things tend to dissipate and scatter instead of drawing in more players (of a less technical nature like me)

We just about killed Gargaroz for wanting to do just that.

The thing is replacing cards for better onesnis very tricky because, there are always cards that one will find crappy and another will find great. so the dabate of what card to take away could become heated. (and I'll be the first to defend some of this old crap )
+ some people like old cards even if they are not the top of the cream. because that's the cards with which they discovered magic, and that's important. Pleasure is an important part of a game
also, the game uses ols crappy cards for it's own decks, and we don't know how it will react in Shandalar if that gets messed up.

[jatill]

I changed the interface around a little. Here's a screenshot. Suggestions still welcome. Once mathy gives me a new art, I'll have a working version up in a couple days.

[mathusalem]

I'll give you a preview, you'll tell me if you like it and then, you'll tell me in what format you want that.
I finally found an idea. i'll work on it tonight

[Bog Wraith]

Jatill, if I remember correctly, in VB there's an option like our "Deploy.bat" that makes an installer with all the needed file. Probably, many people will need it to run the program. Strangely, on my XP (SP 2), it works correctly, but perhaps I have all the needed fils installed from some other program I downloaded.

I tried to put an installer together. Hopefully this will help. It still expects that your magic files are all in c:\magic.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/o2jj2ow1fif/set editor.zip

BTW, I must have wrongly chosen Edit instead of quote jatill when I posted my comment last night, sorry about that!

Ok, I have it working using a second installed in c:\magic. Something is weird however as I can't get the look or function that you have including the card art and text:

[jatill]

I didn't upload that version; just gave a screenshot.

[Bog Wraith]

So is what I have what it should look like for now?

[jatill]

So is what I have what it should look like for now?

For now, yes. The version with the newer look is too dangerous to release currently