Circumventing Planeswalker frames limitations

[thefiremind]

I just had an idea that will make our Planeswalker modding in Magic Duels less reliant on already existing frames. Well, to be honest, NeoAnderson used this idea first in DotP2014, but this is a great chance to reuse it.

Here is what I did:

• I chose a Planeswalker frame that will become the default for size (I chose Jace Beleren's, U_Planeswalker.tdx, because it has all 3 text boxes about the same height).
• I copied it aside, then substituted it in my custom ZED with a totally blank image (all transparent).
• I copied Jace Beleren's card art (105537.tdx) and pasted the original frame over it.
• Now any Planeswalker using Jace Beleren's Multiverse ID (394027) will have a blank frame, and we'll be able to paste the real frame onto the card art!

Note that every frame needs to be adapted so that it occupies the exact same space as Jace Beleren's original one: it's a bit of a hassle. But I think it's worth it!

Ever wanted to use Ugin, the Spirit Dragon? | Open

In case of Planeswalkers with 4 abilities we can use Chandra, Torch of Defiance's frame as default for size.

P.S.: I posted here because it's strictly related to Magic Duels and I can't really call it "programming talk".

[Tejahn]

This is actually the first method I used in Magic Duels while looking for ways to use the different Planeswalker frames and I think I mentioned it didn't work but that was because I forgot to repack the ZED after changing the textures. Needless to say, I became distracted with wanting to find the exact 'method' used to make the frames display and forgot to bring it up again. After somewhat fulfilling that quest I never thought to go back to this method. I'm glad you thought of using this approach once more. It was really not on my mind at all. Are you going to create a Planeswalkers mod for Magic Duels? If so, I have several working Planeswalkers from the tDLC that can be included. They are also AI tested. Also, with this approach, all Planeswalkers should be visually possible. The initial Multiverse ID method is still rather limiting. Thanks for bringing this back to the forefront!

[Xander9009]

Are you going to create a Planeswalkers mod for Magic Duels?

I'm not actively involved in modding Magic Duels, so my opinion is pretty much irrelevant, but I'll give it anyway. Personally, I think that before mods are released individually, we should wait and see what the developers do about the card limit with the next set.

To avoid getting the thread off-topic, I'm putting the rest of this in a spoiler. If anyone really wants to discuss it now rather than waiting for the next set, probably best to make a new thread. (Unless it's TFM. I won't tell you what to do with your own thread. )

Digression | Open

They've only got three real options.
1: Eliminate the card limit, which might be what the conversion to .lol land pools was for (a first step in preparation for it, I mean.)
2: Raise the card limit without eliminating it.
3: Replace older cards with newer ones.

If they opt for number 1, then nearly the entirety of the CW would be possible. It would take some real effort to sort the various cards into usability groups (outright usable, usable but need changes {like being given derived info}, unusable). But I'm confident it could be done well enough that only a handful of cards would make it through even though they shouldn't.

Planeswalkers and lands are the two biggest groups I know of that aren't directly portable. Planeswalkers will need several changes, such as eliminating the manager requirements and also properly setting up emblems. Lands will need to be converted to use Magic Duel's land system, or we'll need to set up some derivative of it such as my newest foray into mana production (which has gone really well).

However, even with those changes, I do think the CW's setup makes modding easier as a whole. That said, while I'd be more than happy to set up and manage the behind-the-scenes stuff for it (making sure the packing is done nightly just like the CW), I don't currently plan to mod Magic Duels myself. Eventually, yes, but not yet. There are still several things I want to do with 2014 regarding previously coded cards before I consider it complete-to-date (reworking most manifest and morph cards, for instance).

If this is something that others agree with or disagree with, I'd be really interested to hear everyone's opinions. I think it previously came up and everyone liked the idea, but I'm not certain. Either way, I still vote on waiting to see what the developers do about the card limit before discussing it too much.

[thefiremind]

Are you going to create a Planeswalkers mod for Magic Duels?

No, for the moment I'm only coding specific cards that I want to test. I agree with Xander9009 in waiting for the next expansion before "going big".

Related to the limit...

Spirolone discovered that the game already supports up to 8192 cards to be used in player decks, the problem is that it doesn't recognize the cards past ID #1023 as unlockable. They can be added manually to the decks by editing the profile; if you do that, then you can see them in the deck builder when you open the decks that contain them.

...so they'll probably just remove the unlockable limit.

Something I need to check that I forgot yesterday is how the Planeswalkers look when Imprisoned in the Moon, since the 2 frames would overlap. If they look really bad I have a backup plan.
EDIT: Yeah, it looks really bad (the land frame isn't even shown). Time for the backup plan...
EDIT 2: The backup plan succeeded! I modified Imprisoned in the Moon so that if a Planeswalker is enchanted, its ArtID is changed into something I created for the occasion: a zoom-in on the moon pictured on Imprisoned in the Moon itself. You see the moon because the Planeswalker is imprisoned in it, isn't that perfect?
(Yes, Magic Duels has an ArtID_Set function; yes, I thought about making an alternate version of all Planeswalkers with no frame that can be used by Imprisoned in the Moon, but that would be a total waste of time and space for just one card in my opinion. )

For anyone who wants to toy a bit with this idea, I updated my test ZED contents.

[Tejahn]

Yes. I'm still waiting to see what's going to change as well. And I'm about to grab the new ZED. Nice commentary BTW. Lol!