MTGForge 12/29 (unofficial BETA) version

[Chris H.]

Nice, once those are finished I think it's time I'll release a new version.
So far I've fixed:

-Flash
-RegenerateMe
-Planeswalker bug
-Shatter
-Added a few new cards

Along with all the additions to cards.txt, this promises to be an awesome version

Thank you.

I see that we now have 5 pages of messages as part of this topic. It might be a good idea to start a new and separate topic when you release the next version.

[mtgrares]

Great release, thanks for all of your work DennisBergkamp.

First Strike and Double Strike:

About first strike and double strike, I'm not sure how to currently implement them without adding another phase, which would be correct according to the rules. Maybe I could hack the code in Input_CombatDamage to check does the attacking creature have double or first strike and could do that damage first, it wouldn't be 100% correct but it would be good enough I think.

[DennisBergkamp]

Yes, I'll create a new topic for the next release, this thread is slowly turning into a book.

Great release, thanks for all of your work DennisBergkamp.

First Strike and Double Strike:

About first strike and double strike, I'm not sure how to currently implement them without adding another phase, which would be correct according to the rules. Maybe I could hack the code in Input_CombatDamage to check does the attacking creature have double or first strike and could do that damage first, it wouldn't be 100% correct but it would be good enough I think.

First Strike / Double Strike would be really awesome. I've looked into this a little bit as well, but I'm not familiar enough with the Combat code to really even know where to start... Anyway, if you could implement this, it would increase the number of cards we could make by A LOT!!! But I understand this is very tricky to include.

[Chris H.]

I just noticed a minor problem with the spell Intuition.

When the human player casts Intuition, the spell appears to resolve correctly. Two of the three cards chosen appear in my graveyard.

When the computer cast an Intuition spell only the Intuition spell appears in the computer's graveyard, not the two cards that I failed to select when the Intuition spell was resolved.

[DennisBergkamp]

Ah good find! Should be fixed now.

For a lot of these cards I haven't actually tested the AI part, since it's so time-consuming.

[Chris H.]

When you put the Cavern Harpy into play you can click on its card to activate the special ability multiple times without clicking on the OK button. This results in multiple copies of the cost "Pay 1 life: Return Cavern Harpy to its owners hand" appearing on the stack.

When the computer puts a Cavern Harpy into play it appears that the human then pays the cost of returning a blue or black creature to the humans hand. I could be mistaken.

I just tried to return my Cavern Harpy and canceled and it appears that the couputers copy of the Cavern Harpy was returned to the computers hand.

This is getting confusing. I may try this again when I can give it more attention.

[Chris H.]

This is getting confusing. I may try this again when I can give it more attention.

I put together a simple test deck: Island, Swamp, Cavern Harpy, Will-o'-the-Wisp and Aven Envoy. The computer holds onto its copies of the Cavern Harpy and fails to cast them.

I put together a slightly different deck: Cavern Harpy, Forest and Aluren. The computer will use the Aluren to bring into play its Cavern Harpy. In fact, it brought into play four of them at one time.

It then asks me to "select a blue or black creature you control." I then get to pick which one of its Cavern Harpy that is return to its hand and the other three remain in play.

I had no luck in puting multiple Cavern Harpy via the Aluren on the stack and having only one of them returned to my hand.

The computer fails to attack with the Cavern Harpy and instead pays a life to return them to its own hand.

The computer will end its own turn and not get stuck in an endless loop until it kills itself.

[DennisBergkamp]

Haha, wow. I did not anticipate this. I specifically set the computer being unable to play Cavern Harpy just for these reasons, but I forgot he could still get them into play through Aluren. Bottom-line is, I only coded the "come into play bounce" player-side, which is why you were getting the dialog.

The computer using Aluren is kind of an experimental thing, where I check during each upkeep if there's an Aluren in play (on either side), the computer will just dump all of his creatures that cost less than 3 converted mana into play.
Experiment failed, I guess... then again, in most cases, this should still be better than the computer not being able to use Aluren at all. Maybe I should limit the computer to only bringing out one or two creatures at a time?

Anyway, this one will take some time to fix, but for now, I prohibited the computer from using the pay 1 life, return cavern harpy to its owner's hand ability (since he will only use it for the worse).
I'll also try to code the computer side of these bounce creatures (Cavern Harpy, Horned Kavu, Shivan Wurm, etc.).

[Chris H.]

Anyway, this one will take some time to fix, but for now, I prohibited the computer from using the pay 1 life, return cavern harpy to its owner's hand ability (since he will only use it for the worse).

Hmmm. An if statement that checks to see if there is a non Cavern Harpy blue/black creature in play before it will summon the Cavern Harpy. Combine this with having the computer ignore the "Pay 1 life: Return Cavern Harpy to its owner's hand" ability.

There may be a few situations that could be placed into an if statement for limited use of the Pay 1 life ability. But this would likely take up too much time trying to determine the situations to include in the code.

I see that I'm getting a headache while I try to think this through. I wish you luck on coming up with a reasonable solution.

[DennisBergkamp]

Yes, exactly. I'd have to check if there's a Black/Blue creature in play in the canPlayAI() method for the card, in addition to writing the 'comes into play and pick a creature to return' code for the AI.
It's very easy to do, but just requires a bunch of work. I'll do it at some point, but for now I'd rather add a few new cards
But this issue I'll definitely add to my list of things to do.

I will probably release a new version today or tomorrow... currently in the process of adding a few cards, and just about got them finished. Once they are, I'll add those new cards to the new cards.txt.
I was thinking, I'll probably add all new cards to the bottom of cards.txt. But since Gando requested them at the top, I'll put them there (works either way). This way, it will be very easy to keep track of all the latest changes.

[Chris H.]

For a lot of these cards I haven't actually tested the AI part, since it's so time-consuming.

When the computer casts Viridian Shaman, the special ability fails to destroy an artifact. I was able to cast the Viridian Shaman and destroy an artifact.

I assume that the AI code, or portions thereof, for the spells Shatter, Naturalize and Disenchant could be reused.

[DennisBergkamp]

Hey, good call! This is fixed now too