Manalink Update April 24 2009 - EXPERMIENTAL

[jatill]

Ok, so first thing's first. Even though I think things are stable, this is an experimental update. I messed with Magic.exe internals quite a bit.

http://rapidshare.com/files/225217852/20090424.zip

I am trying out a new 'rules engine' card that will help with things like storm, cycling, dredge, etc that the game rules can't otherwise handle. So far the only thing the card does is keep track of storm count and look in your grave for continuous effects. So I added Tendrils of Agony and Anger to try it out. While the whole storm mechanic doesn't work quite right, the effect of the card is at least multiplied by the number of spells played.

So download this pack, and let me know if you see any odd behaviors. Thanks.

Stuff Added:
-Rules Engine card
-Tendrils of Agony
-Anger
-You no longer have to debug Momir into play when playing with a deck of all basic lands. It happens automatically.
-Huge bug was fixed: shock lands now count as the appropriate basic land type for ALL cards.

[Bog Wraith]

You still have to debug Momir in for the AI player.

Also, we gotta think of what card art to assign for the Rules Engine card that is now in play.

BTW jatill, can you implement more Vanguard cards into the game as we discussed a while back. If I recall correctly, you said that it probably would be fairly easy to do so. I'd love to be able to play with those cards for both me and the AI!

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EDIT

Game crashed while playing Momir Basic.
Sorry, but the site will not allow me to upload this as an attachment, so I sent it to you via PM.

[jatill]

You still have to debug Momir in for the AI player.

Weird. I wonder if I uploaded the wrong version. Was Anger in the version I uploaded?
What's the crash report? I've never heard of that before.
And finally, yes, vanguard cards should be easy. The only think I can't think of how to implement is how to change your max hand size. But I'm sure it's doable, based on cursed rack and spellbook.

[Bog Wraith]

Yes, Anger was in the release.

The crash report is generated when the game says that it has to close based on some error that has occurred. It usually is stored as a temp file, so when you close the game after the crash, it disappears. I always search for the file first and save it before I close out the game. I don't know if it will help you, but I thought I should send it just in case it does.

[mathusalem]

pics !
I added something for the rule card

http://rapidshare.com/files/225488347/CardArtNew_.rar

[Tower_Mazer]

erg I'm not keeping up with everything going on like I should be. These last 6 weeks of school (after 5 years) are keeping me more than busy.

I'm very happy to see the rules engine card implemented . Great work once again! I also have to debug in the Momir for the AI player still using XP. One other thing though do we really need Momir to begin in play with a deck that's all basic lands? I actually use decks like that for testing card bugs and a few other things (Like RoM basic play). I also have Momir decks made with all land but none are basic. All I'm saying is that while it's really neat to be able to do this couldn't we have Momir come into play some other way like based on deck, so people like me don't have to debug ways to get rid of it when we don't want to use it? Example now we have the Rules Engine card and you can apparently do a summary condition check of card types loaded into the game from a deck, can we have it (the rule enabler) just search for card type Momir (enchantment) at the beginning of the game or however you managed to get Momir to know when to come into play. Somehow it would have to be a distinguishable enchantment type or card by name that could set some kind of boolean (hopefully array for future expansions) to set condition(s) true or false. I'm pushing for array to make the scripting with less lines and variables by using loops if additional cards were ever added (like more vanguard cards). I know this isn't the code just my thoughts in my head but it's an example of what you may have to do to add in a function that would search the player(s) library for the card and bring it into play (removing it from the deck).

Example
function Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001Func001Func001C takes nothing returns boolean
if ( not ( GetCardTypeId(GetTriggerCard()) == '0611' ) ) then
return false
endif
return true
endfunction

function Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001Func001A takes nothing returns nothing
if ( Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001Func001Func001C() ) then
call SetCardPositionLoc( GetTriggerCard(), OffsetLocation(GetCardLoc(GetLastCreatedCard()), 0, 0) )
else
call DoNothing( )
endif
endfunction

function Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001Func002C takes nothing returns boolean
if ( not ( GetForLoopIndexA() == 2 ) ) then
return false
endif
return true
endfunction

function Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001C takes nothing returns boolean
if ( not ( GetForLoopIndexA() == 1 ) ) then
return false
endif
return true
endfunction

function Trig_card_vanguard_Actions takes nothing returns nothing
set bj_forLoopAIndex = 1
set bj_forLoopAIndexEnd = 33
loop
exitwhen bj_forLoopAIndex > bj_forLoopAIndexEnd
if ( Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001C() ) then
call ForGroupBJ( GetCardInRectOfPlayer(GetPlayerLibrary(), Player(0)), function Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001Func001A )
else
if ( Trig_card_vanguard_Func001Func001Func002C() ) then
// Ect
else
// Ect
endif
endif
set bj_forLoopAIndex = bj_forLoopAIndex + 1
endloop
endfunction

//===========================================================================
function InitTrig_card_vanguard takes nothing returns nothing
set gg_trg_card_vanguard = CreateTrigger( )
call TriggerAddAction( gg_trg_card_vanguard, function Trig_card_vanguard_Actions )
endfunction

in the example I only did the 1st 2 condition checks of the 33 (total number of vanguard cards) and only the if / if else for the 1st condition since they would all be in sequence anyway after this point.

You would just have to define the variables in the csv and compile them into the exe.?

Example
function Trig_vanguard_defs_Actions takes nothing returns nothing
set udg_Vanguard_Defs[1] = '0611'
endfunction

//===========================================================================
function InitTrig_vanguard_defs takes nothing returns nothing
set gg_trg_vanguard_defs = CreateTrigger( )
call TriggerAddAction( gg_trg_vanguard_defs, function Trig_vanguard_defs_Actions )
endfunction

This is what I imagine an integer or card type array size 1 definition for the first vanguard card would look like. Just change the [1] to the next number and change the card number correspond to add more. I'm not even sure these are needed with all the condition checks in the above code. If they were put in like this a smart scripter can use it to shrink the lines of code.

I hope you can figure out what I mean since I don't know how to script a card with such a code yet. Also I can post this in the Wiki if you think it's in anyway useful. People don't be afraid to use Our Wiki.

[Bog Wraith]

pics !
I added something for the rule card

http://rapidshare.com/files/225488347/CardArtNew_.rar

Nice choice Mathy!

The image really goes well with the card name!

[Topdeck]

A new bug I've noticed with this build: lands like Polluted Delta, when sacrificed fail to show your entire library, instead letting you choose from only 8-10 cards.

[jatill]

A new bug I've noticed with this build: lands like Polluted Delta, when sacrificed fail to show your entire library, instead letting you choose from only 8-10 cards.

Yeah, my fault. That will be fixed next time, at least.

[Topdeck]

Still, it's an excellent update. Getting Storm working is huge for building good Vintage decks. Just need a few more win condition cards and we can make some really nice decks.

[MalkolmX]

Tendrils is a great addition to the game, but please fix fetchland bug as quick as possible, it makes the game almost unplayable since pretty much all the decks i have made so far have fetch lands >.<

[jatill]

Tendrils is a great addition to the game, but please fix fetchland bug as quick as possible, it makes the game almost unplayable since pretty much all the decks i have made so far have fetch lands >.<

Ok, so here's the newer update:
http://rapidshare.com/files/225760538/20090425.zip

There's good and bad news.
The only bad news that I know is that Momir seems to be crashing a lot. And I have absolutely no idea why. If anyone can detect a pattern to this, let me know. Otherwise, I recommend using an older patch to play Momir.

The good:
-Fetchland error fixed.
-Reanimate hits both graveyards (this took 9 years to fix, but now I am master of targeting cards in graveyards. Tombstalker here I come...)
-If you do choose to play Momir, it'll pop it into play for both players. Just put a copy of Momir in your deck. This paves the way for adding any vanguard avatars to the game, since the code I wrote will take them out of your deck and put them into play at the beginning of the game.

Test away, and let me know what you find.

[Bog Wraith]

Good news about setup getting in line for what you need to add vanguard cards.

With the graveyard targeting now worked out, could Ashen Ghoul and Recurring Nightmare be added?

I will continue with Momir testing. Did the crash report help at all?

[jatill]

Good news about setup getting in line for what you need to add vanguard cards.

With the graveyard targeting now worked out, could Ashen Ghoul and Recurring Nightmare be added?

I will continue with Momir testing. Did the crash report help at all?

I figured out how to adjust max hand size, so avatars are a go.

Ashen Ghoul and Recurring Nightmar are doable. For Ghoul, I need to either figure out how to make a legacy effect be activated (like Channel), or use an actual card for the rules engine instead of a legacy. I can't figure channel out, so I'm asking in another thread for people to list all the legacy effects that are clickable, in hopes that I can figure that part out.

Finally, I haven't been able to glean any useful info from the crash report.

Mathusalem-
If I add Avatars, here are their images: http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/articl ... e/vanguard

[Bog Wraith]

Ok, then I won't continue with saving the crash reports. I'd hoped it would help, but I guess trying to get a save game file is a better idea.

Great news about both the Vanguard cards and Ashen Ghoul & Recurring Nightmare.

Incidentally, the avatars on the Wizard's Vanguard page that you linked to for Mathy are really nice!