Manalink Update Feb 8 - Challenge tweaks

[jatill]

Several tweaks to challenges in this version, as well as a couple minor bug fixes.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/gppqc5k1d ... 110208.zip

The 4 hardest challenges have changed:
1) 5:1 is replaced with Planeswalker Decimation
2) Super mulligan gives you 2 cards instead of 0
3) Land-Ho gives you Exploration
4) Dude! gives you City of Brass

[juzamjedi]

I am really curious what the Planeswalker Decimation challenge will be. It certainly SOUNDS cool

I have not beaten the others on the list below either so those changes will (hopefully?) help out. Bravo for listening to the feedback about the more difficult challenges.

[Cognis]

Haven't beaten the first 2 so I'll try right away

[Gargaroz]

In this update there's already the AI improvement, sensei ?

[Salbei]

This version includes the changes from Gargaoz, right ?
A little more information about the changes would be nice.This way it is easier to keep track of the progress.
It is obvious for you since you did those changes, but not for others (especially other coders).

I really appreciate the focus on fixing bugs. Over the time just more and more cards got added and it is quite tough to test all those new cards for wrong interactions.Some of the new cards interact incorrect with old ones that are working as intended so most of the time you just stumble upon those errors by accident (i use 5th edition Sealed deck to "find" those).

Look a year or two back and see the amazing progress ! So many old and new cards got implemented - even the UI got overhauled.Also the stability of the program in general got way better.And there are still a few "breakthroughs" left to be discovered.I really appreciate the work being done here and am honestly grateful for you devotion to this project.Personally i would just got "bored" (or burned out) after a few months so i really admire this.
Also the "new" coders with their fresh ideas and different solutions keep the engine running.I don´t even want to think about it what will happen when the 2000 card limit will finally be broken or the "mysteries" of the AI will be revealed !
Maybe Manalink 2.0 will be able to serve me coffee in the next decade - the USB Coffe Warmers already exist, so i won´t be surprised

[stassy]

Documentation is the bane of the coder

Anyway thanks for the update, will test those changes right away.

[jatill]

The only bugs I addressed are
(1) Made Murmuring Bosk and Dryad Arbor a Forest for Forestwalk, etc
(2) Added the ai_modifier code to several lands so that the AI will actually play them
(3) Corrected the Planeswalker legend rule for elspeth
(4) Updated the ai choice of how to use certain planeswalkers

[Aswan jaguar]

AI improvements are always greatly appreciated,thanks.And bugs,too.

[Wronskian]

Thank you very much Jatill.

I have a weird bug with the challenge Planeswalker Decimation : at random rounds of the challenge, the game crashes.
The window of the game disappears, without message. Even Windows does not detect that the application crashes (no report)
I play a Belcher deck. I pay attention not to kill the opponent before planeswalkers are in game, but i sometimes play my whole hand before the planeswalkers are in game (waiting for next round).

Anyone has the same problem ?

[0rion79]

Jatill, I know it is off-topic, but is there any way to improve AI's choices vs. cards that force to discard from hand? I've seen that, especially with the Black honden and similar cards, the AI tends to keep Disenchant and similar cards in hand rather than using them to destroy the source of cards loss. As well, it often uses Disenchant, Naturalize or other spells on its own mana-producing artifacts, without any apparent reason.

[discoransom]

I completed round 10, and instead of getting a card unlocked, the rules engine popped up at the start of rd 11 and had me put sorceries and a creature into my hand as if it was one of the puzzles.

And Serum Powder is still locked, obv


I really like this challenge though.

[aww1979]

I haven't tried the new challenge yet, but I did the super mulligan one for my challenge tutorial last night, and after 21 failed runs at 0 cards (not using Serum Powder in case ppl had it locked) I beat it on the first try with the new 2 card hand. (using the same dredge deck both times) So, it definitely makes a huge difference :p

[discoransom]

I haven't tried the new challenge yet, but I did the super mulligan one for my challenge tutorial last night, and after 21 failed runs at 0 cards (not using Serum Powder in case ppl had it locked) I beat it on the first try with the new 2 card hand. (using the same dredge deck both times) So, it definitely makes a huge difference :p

Agreed, it got a lot easier. You just have to run reasonably well for 10 games now. I got it first go as well, but had lots of interesting decisions and some not so obvious plays to win. Not easy, but not insane.

[jatill]

I completed round 10, and instead of getting a card unlocked, the rules engine popped up at the start of rd 11 and had me put sorceries and a creature into my hand as if it was one of the puzzles.

And Serum Powder is still locked, obv


I really like this challenge though.

I just retested this, and was awarded Serum Powder. I wonder if you hadn't restarted manalink before starting the challenge.

aww-
I know what is causing the Mulligan bug. Easy fix next time.

[aww1979]

Just as a clarification for the original post, in the Dude! challenge, the City of Brass is actually put into play on your side to start with. I thought that Jatill had changed what card the challenge locks, based on the wording he used. Based on the wording, I assume this means Land Ho! starts with Exploration in play. (and would make it MUCH easier, and actually reasonable now :p)