Noob Questions

[Crescendo]

Hello everyone,

Just found out about this site and I have a few (noob) questions:

1) Is this safe to use? Doesn't it violate any Steam rules? I've heard some nightmare stories where someone's account got banned because they used 3rd party software to play their Steam games (online).

2) All I have to do is download the core and the art under ''How to use'' in the CW topic and place them in my game folder? And then I have to download the file under ''Multiplayer''?

3) If I understand correctly, you can only use the decks from this topic in multiplayer viewtopic.php?f=109&t=16703? I don't understand this part ''When you get a deck, make sure you have that deck's Content Pack Enable''. And how can I download all of the decks from the drive at once? I assume it's best if you download them all, because you can't play against someone if you don't have identical WAD's?

Thanks in advance!

[Xander9009]

1: I don't use this for online play, basically ever, but I've never heard of anyone getting in trouble for this. I think this is largely because of the game's built-in function of making sure player's have matching files, so you'd never be considered cheating. I can't say with 100% certainty, though. However, for offline play (you don't need to disconnect or anything, just play against the computer), you'll definitely be fine.

2: Ignore the multiplayer section. It needs rewritten. Just download the core and art and the DLL (it's in the folder with the core and goes in your game directory like everything else). The multiplayer utility doesn't work. If you want to make it automatically update (it's still updated every day), then add the Core (and optionally the art) folder to your google drive so they're downloaded automatically, and then download the sync tool. Run the sync tool, tell it what it asks. Put a shortcut to the sync tool in your startup folder. You're done.

3: Any deck can be used in online play so long as both players have the deck. But in general, yes, those decks will be easier. Getting all of the decks would be... a lot, but you're welcome to it. If you're going to play multiplayer, though, you'd be better off getting some number of sets of decks and letting a specific person know which sets to get. This is because the sync tool can handle sets of decks if you've added the decks folder to google drive so it downloads and make sure you've set the path in the ini if you didn't do this when you first ran it (and if you don't want to mess with the ini, then delete the ini and run the tool again). The ini needs the following line: "DecksFolder=C:\Google Drive\Community Wad Folders\Community Wad Decks" where you replace the path with the correct one. Once this is done, right click the tool (in your notification area by your clock) and choose Register CPE ID (CPE=Content Pack Enabler). Type the number of the set you want to try. You can register as many as you want. My decks use the CPE ID 9009, TFM uses TFM (the only non-number), Kithkin uses 1314 (I don't know who made the others, so just try them out and see, or search the forums for the number to see what you come up with, you might find the deck list). Once they're registered, right click it again and click Sync Decks. The sync utility will keep the core and art files up to date automatically, but it will never automatically sync decks. You'll need to tell it when you want to. This way, you can tell whoever you're going to play against that you're using cpe ids: X, Y, and Z, let them register those, register the ones they're using, and load up the game.

Content Pack Enabler is a small file that tells the game a given deck should be available. Without it, the decks don't show up in game. Each deck has a number (except TFM's), and the first few characters in that number are the same for all decks made by the same person. That person's CPE (because each person has his or her own) has that number as well. As an example, I use 9009. So, my CPE is named "Data_DLC_9009_Content_Pack_Enabler.wad" and my decks have 9009001, 9009002, 9009003, and so on.

If you want to skip the above and just download everything, that's perfectly doable. In the decks folder, there's a 7z file named "CW Decks.7z". Download that and extract it (using 7-zip or anything else that can extract it) to your game folder. It always contains all decks and content pack enablers.

As a quick rundown, from the beginning, of everything you need to have all decks work:

• CW Core
• CW Art files (core and update)
• d3dx9_43.dll (in the folder with the core)
• CW Decks.7z

If you want basic lands to have the ability to manually be tapped for mana, you'll need RiiakShiNal's Manual Mana Mod (there's a link in the CW OP). Everything either goes in or is extracted to your game folder.

I'm sorry if this is confusing. Feel free to ask any questions you have.

[Crescendo]

Thanks for your answer.

I downloaded all the files you mentioned. However, the game keeps crashing after I launch it. I guess one or more of the deck files are bugged? Is there an easy way to figure out which one?

[Xander9009]

Yes, there is. Download RiiakShiNal's deck builder and open it. It can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=99&t=10999

When you open it for the first time, it'll ask about where you game is (I put the deck builder inside my game folder to keep everything together). It may or may not have to be re-opened after its first run to run the error scanning code. It may also ask for a number. If you're going to make decks for others to use, let me know, otherwise just leave it at 1000.

[Crescendo]

The game works and I've played a couple of games against the computer! I have a few more questions:

- I noticed that with certain decks the computer doesn't know how to play? For example, the bot only plays land cards and nothing else. Then he discards cards he could've played. Are there cards with certain effects I should avoid giving to the computer?

- Multiplayer seems really buggy since I added the files to the game directory. It always crashes/freezes when I click on a multiplayer mode. Any idea on how to fix this? Maybe I should just reinstall the game and only add certain decks instead of all? And how does multiplayer work exactly with these ''mods'' (not sure if mod is the correct term)? If you search for a match, for example, do people who haven't added these files show up, or just people who installed the same WADs as you? And if I add a friend who uses the same WADs, I just create a custom game and invite him as usual?

[Xander9009]

Yes, the computer can't play some decks, especially if those decks have a lot of manual mana lands. The only real fix is to use auto-tap lands. The manual lands should mostly be used in decks you plan to be played by humans. I was working on a compromise between the two systems awhile back but lost the motivation.

You can't just search for people, because no, it won't only show others with the same files. It'll show everyone, and then it'll crash when it tries to connect to them. You need to create a custom game and invite your friend. I think, at least. Others have done multiplayer. I haven't.

[Dargenom]

I've been playing a bit of multiplayer with a friend lately so i can add a bit on that note. When you host a multiplayer game, immediately change the open slots to private so there's no risk of someone with an unmodded or differently modded game joining, then invite your friend using the invite button (If you're using the steam version, it then opens your steam friends list in the overlay). There's two scenarios of error between people with different game files. Either the game instantly crashes upon connecting or you get an error upon trying to start the match, something along the lines "You can't play a multiplayer game with the following players at this time.".

Needless to say, unless you know someone with whom you can 100% synchronise your game files (Fully identical WADs, decklists, any custom edits you've made to card coding, etc.) then simply stay away from multiplayer because it simply won't work.