Shandalar Randomizer

by **GamesfreakSA** » 02 Feb 2022, 04:17

Shandalar Randomizer
I've created a deck randomizer script for Microprose Magic: the Gathering!

With the randomizer, instead of each enemy having one deck, you can have each select their decks randomly from their own individual pools, or even make it so that every deck is available to every creature!

At my website, gamesfreaksa dot info (under the Projects section), I have a webtool you can use to convert Moxfield deck list IDs to your own custom data package. Alternatively, download and modify the attached data package zip. Then, all you have to do is follow the instructions to run the randomizer script and you're on your way!

I hope you guys enjoy this project!

Instructions
Install Python 3 if it isn't already. Extract the data folder of your randomizer ZIP file to the Shandalar decks folder. Download the randomizer Python script and run it passing the decks folder as a parameter. For instance, if your decks folder was located at "C:/Users/mcelani/Shandalar/decks", invoke the script in Powershell using 'python.exe ./randomizer.py "C:/Users/mcelani/Shandalar/decks/"' You can then play Shandalar as normal while it runs.

When running the script, pass the -t flag to enable turbo-mode, which randomizes all decks across all enemy types. Pass the -o flag to randomize only once instead of continuously over time.

The script will overwrite decks in the folder as it runs, so make a backup of that folder's contents before you play.

randomizer.zip: (929 Bytes) Downloaded 212 times

shandalar_random_1643766302196.zip: (73.84 KiB) Downloaded 199 times

by **Emphyrio** » 23 Mar 2022, 05:40

Very nice idea to bring some diversity to the gameplay. But if I understand well, your program choses decks from a total pool of decks (lets call it the "pool" folder) and then assigns one of them rendomly to each of the decks in the "deck" folder, which means if I have a stasis mono blue deck in my folder, it could be assigned to lorf of fate (0010) or to Arzakon (999) just as much as it could be assigned to "Seer"(0069)?

It would be really awesome in my opnion if the "pool" folder could contain a "lord of fate" folder (with a certain number of decks in it to pick from just for lord of fate), a "seer" folder (with several decks only for seer), etc... there are quite a few modified versions of the "deck" folder available here (especially for those of us who still have Korath's version with cards up to 2016) so that would be really great to combine some of them (and I am in the process of making my own serie of decks, although it will take some time as I have already noticed that some of them crash the game occasionally so I'll have to pinpoint which cards do so and replace them).

Edit : nm read too fast and didn't realize -t was just a parameter to make the decks be randomized between all (ie not the default behaviour). Will have to understand how to have the "pool" folder set up for the program to know which decks to assign to whom then, because I will definitely use your script

edit bis : ok just noticed you provided a folder with multiple decks as example, perfect!! Thanks and going to test right away!

by **Enzi** » 28 Oct 2022, 07:02

Hi, great idea to randomize enemy decks. This completly makes duels more interesting and not so much like a "chore".
This gave me an idea to make a simpler randomizer script: Just put all decks directly into "decks" folder and not into subfolders, because it makes it easier to copy and paste deck lists. Then randomize it with a shell batch script and you don't need python.

I play the shandalar version with only old cards and I found 5 different sets of enemy decks for it:
the original decks, from the 1. update, and 3 enemy deck overhaul lists I found on this forum.
Then I changed the ending of the decks in a deck set to *.dc1, *.dc2, *.dc3, *.dc4 and *.dc5 and copied them all into the decks folder.
Now I just made a shell script, running in the background while you are playing, and copying *.dc1 to *.dck then 5 minutes later *.dc2 to *.dck, etc. and repeating infinitly.

I will probably make a post with my own script later.

Just a question for the mods: Can I post a link to a virtual disk image with Windows95, Shandalar DOTP and my randomizer script? I think it would be easier this way and others (especially other linux users) would be thankful to have a way to play old Shandalar versions.