Manalink Vintage Competition (winners posted)

[jatill]

If someone can instruct me how to run a gauntlet using only a selection of decks, I would gladly help with scoring. If I understand the challenge correctly, all submitted decks will run a gauntlet consisting of only these submitted decks- so decks that a good player can pilot to victory against AI, but will occasionally stomp a human's face when played by the AI will do best. ??

Right. To run a gauntlet with just some decks, clear everything out of your magic/playdeck folder (copy, don't delete!!), and then just paste in the decks you want to use.

[juzamjedi]

Forgot to say I'm willing to help with the scoring as well just send me the gauntlet decks once it is time.

[Stroggoii]

I think I'll give it a try

[discoransom]

If someone can instruct me how to run a gauntlet using only a selection of decks, I would gladly help with scoring. If I understand the challenge correctly, all submitted decks will run a gauntlet consisting of only these submitted decks- so decks that a good player can pilot to victory against AI, but will occasionally stomp a human's face when played by the AI will do best. ??

Right. To run a gauntlet with just some decks, clear everything out of your magic/playdeck folder (copy, don't delete!!), and then just paste in the decks you want to use.

ah thanks- I wanted to be sure!

On second thought, my Magic program has been running very slowly, and the AI unwilling to play spells (more so than usual), especially when it runs more than an hour at a time, so regretfully I shouldn't help score because it just wouldn't be fair.

But I'll submit an interesting deck to make up for it...

[aww1979]

Yeah, certain cards the AI plays poorly, or not at all, which is why I've been playtesting a gauntlet of decks the last few days. I built about a dozen of them so far, and let the AI try them to see what it was best with. I've got it narrowed down to (probably) three different deck ideas, two of which I expect to see a lot of from the rest of you, and one that's a bit odd, but veteran players might recognize from about 12 years ago... The AI plays them reasonably well, but I'm trying to guess what the metagame might be before I submit one.

[discoransom]

Yeah, certain cards the AI plays poorly, or not at all, which is why I've been playtesting a gauntlet of decks the last few days. I built about a dozen of them so far, and let the AI try them to see what it was best with. I've got it narrowed down to (probably) three different deck ideas, two of which I expect to see a lot of from the rest of you, and one that's a bit odd, but veteran players might recognize from about 12 years ago... The AI plays them reasonably well, but I'm trying to guess what the metagame might be before I submit one.

Just don't make it Erhnam-Geddon or we'll hunt you down and find you

I tricked out a multi-format archetype with a fresh idea. AI plays things in sort of the wrong way but meh, it's an original and if it gets stomped then it gets stomped.

[scherbchen]

deck submitted and claiming those 5 extra points for testing.

[scherbchen]

hmmm, just thought of a problem with running the gauntlet. say one deck uses Quirion Dryad and I haven't unlocked it yet...

[jatill]

hmmm, just thought of a problem with running the gauntlet. say one deck uses Quirion Dryad and I haven't unlocked it yet...

Good points. Some decks have locked cards in them already. I'll have to think of a way around this. Suggestions are welcome

[EviL_CLonE]

Someone who has complete every challenge could send him the file where challenge info is stored... once you have finished testing the decks, you have the moral compromise of deleting it

[aww1979]

Just don't make it Erhnam-Geddon or we'll hunt you down and find you

Hey, nothing wrong with that! :p Actually, I did try a white/green deck with Baneslayer, Tarmogoyf, and armageddon and what not, but it didn't play it well enough. (it would armageddon at stupid times or hold it when it should play it)

The deck I was referring to was the '187' style deck, with comes-into-play creatures, except the version I made was red (fire imp, flametongue kavu) and green (viridian shaman) and had various adjustments based on the gap between Visions set and now. I mention it only because it's not very likely to be the deck I submit :p The deck did fairly well as long as nothing bigger than a Flametongue Kavu could kill came out *coughBaneslayercough* and splashing black for Nektrataal or Shriekmaw or blue for Manowar and p9 made it too hard for the AI to play right.

[discoransom]

Just don't make it Erhnam-Geddon or we'll hunt you down and find you

Hey, nothing wrong with that! :p Actually, I did try a white/green deck with Baneslayer, Tarmogoyf, and armageddon and what not, but it didn't play it well enough. (it would armageddon at stupid times or hold it when it should play it)

The deck I was referring to was the '187' style deck, with comes-into-play creatures, except the version I made was red (fire imp, flametongue kavu) and green (viridian shaman) and had various adjustments based on the gap between Visions set and now. I mention it only because it's not very likely to be the deck I submit :p The deck did fairly well as long as nothing bigger than a Flametongue Kavu could kill came out *coughBaneslayercough* and splashing black for Nektrataal or Shriekmaw or blue for Manowar and p9 made it too hard for the AI to play right.

That's funny- I tried out an armageddon list too and the AI was goofing up..187 was a sick deck, and at least on manalink it still is!
I won't spoil my deck, but if the AI knew how to use fetchlands properly it would be great. I just couldn't bring myself to play Goblins, no matter how many games they are likely to steal.

[scherbchen]

hmmm, just thought of a problem with running the gauntlet. say one deck uses Quirion Dryad and I haven't unlocked it yet...

Good points. Some decks have locked cards in them already. I'll have to think of a way around this. Suggestions are welcome

well the only solution I can think of (really would not like to have a "all unlocked" file myself) would be to survey the cardpool, post the unlockable cards and only have people test who have unlocked those. depending on the schedule you have in mind for the results I might even go and have some more goes at unlocking some.

[aww1979]

Submitted my deck, and I'll do the gauntlet thing, too. I strongly suspect about half the decks submitted will be nearly carbon copies of what I sent in, because it's one of the few decks that I've seen the AI win at with semi-regularity, but hey, maybe I'll get lucky, or maybe my design is better? Or maybe not...

[jatill]

So far I have around 8 or 10 decks, and they are all different!