Manalink Update 11/19/09 - Welcome joemuz!

[jatill]

This update only includes 4 new cards and some bug fixes. The art is missing. Hopefully either Mathusalem or Salbei will update the art packs to include the art for these cards.

This update also includes the 15 8th edition cards released separately (but still only in the Zendikar version)

The most exciting thing about this release is that for the first time since we figured out how to code cards in C, someone besides me has added a card! So as you play with Ant Queen and Sprouting Thrinax, thank joemuz.

http://rapidshare.com/files/309372310/20091119.zip

New cards:
Ant Queen
Sprouting Thrinax
Darksteel Colossus
Eldrazi Monument

Bug Fixes (that I remember):
-Make indestructible work pretty well for creatures
-This makes Elspeth's Ultimate ability work
-Fix Genesis-related discard bug
-Fix another discard bug related to illegal decks
-Honden bugs fixed and legend rule re-written to work a little better

[Gargaroz]

Wow, many thanx ! So I finally can test Vampires against the full Jund aggro !

[McCrea]

Great! Thanks joemuz and jatill.

[Lostsoul]

Great..

Thank you!!

[Triadasoul]

Here's the new cards art:

http://www.axifile.com/?3896358

And here's a Jund deck to test:

.1992 4 Putrid Leech
.646 4 Bloodbraid Elf
.1337 4 Blightning
.1443 3 Broodmate Dragon
.1927 4 Sprouting Thrinax
.145 4 Lightning Bolt
.1472 4 Terminate
.1937 4 Maelstrom Pulse
.802 4 Garruk Wildspeaker
.9 4 Badlands
.91 4 Forest
.164 2 Mountain
.241 4 Taiga
.1204 4 Savage Lands
.239 3 Swamp
.1959 4 Verdant Catacombs

We still don't have Bituminous Blast for full Jund %)

[0rion79]

My tribe insect and golem decks thank a lot for the very nice additions

Jatill, please don't make the "best of" version as discontinued. I've invested a lot on it (more than 400 built decks) and I would never like to be forced to move to Zendikar to use the new cards mainly because, to get the necessary space, you've replaced some cards that I'm using in most of my decks. Probably I'm not the only one in this situation so I hope that, when another main release will come out, you'll add at least Mind Bend, Rhox, Hammer of Bogardan , Blinding Angel and Story Circle to the "best of" too.

Also, if I may advance 2 other requests:
1) could you add a text file where you list the details of challenge mode? Rewards & conditions
2) why are u still using an obsolete menu.text in your version? Use this one that I'm attaching: it has some advantages in the filters including the sliding of unused creature types at the end of the queue.

[Lostsoul]

lol downloaded and updated!!

Thank you so much!

[Triadasoul]

I've invested a lot on it (more than 400 built decks) and I would never like to be forced to move to Zendikar to use the new cards mainly because, to get the necessary space, you've replaced some cards that I'm using in most of my decks.

Orion79, you talk so much about your deck treasury could you share it with us?

[0rion79]

Lol, sort of... maybe I'll share it for real in the very next future, but I have to warn you: I almost always play 1.5 format (hate decks being filled with restricted), using those cards as Land Tax and Feldon's cane that were allowed as restricted even in 1.5 format for a very long time.
Also, even if I build "competitive" decks, someother time I love to build less powerful but funny-to-play decks, as tribe decks or ability-based decks (first strike deck, kicker deck, shroud deck ecc.), where the goal is mainly to experiment with cards rather than to directly aim to victory. It is really a good exercise for mind, when you have to create something original and functioning from a basic, general concept.

Only once I did intentionally a very LAME deck with the following combo:
Play Ley Druid and defent it with Counterspells (Mana Drain and Rewind are reccomended), then play 4 Wild Growth on the same land, then Paralyze on Ley Druid. Then play Rocket Launcher: if you are still alive, during your upkeep, start tapping and untapping Ley Druid untill you'll have enough mana to deal 20 damages with Rocket Launcher. XD You "only" need 8 cards to create the combo, lol! XD

Instead, if I may suggest you something funny, try to create decks using cards only from one single set. I remember that, a lot of time ago, WotC has organized a similar tournment to see which expansion set was the strongest. You can reply this process on your PC game and it allows you to use good cards that are probably obsolete but still have a lot to tell. Untill now I did the following decks:
4th Edition; 8th Edition; Unlimited (Alpha); Antiquities
Arabian Night; Arabian Night 2; Astral (Jatill's cards except the ones used for other sets), Fallen Empires (just a prototype since it uses cards as Moonglove Extract that are very similar to F.E. original cards, as Aeolipile); Ice Age (made possible thanxs to several re-printings from Unlimited, as Counterspell or Disenchant), Ice Age Block (using Ice Age, Alliances and Homeland cards)
Legends ver. 1; Legends ver. 2; Legends ver. 3; Legends ver. 4; Revised; The Dark ver. 1; The Dark ver. 2; Zendikar.
If you are looking for some alternative, go ahead with this and have fun!

[mathusalem]

Nice job on the arts triedasoul , however be carefull with the proportions, the new card frame has a wider pic space and you have to crop thee image to make them fit the old frame without distortion.
to be exact your images should be 288 x 232 pixels.

jatill would it be possible to move the 15 8th edition cards, to the best of part has well ? I mean, we have the Karoos that don't work(Azorius chancery and such) and that's already 10 spots out of 15 may be it would be possible to just change the ID for those cards.

(ow and i don't feel like playing total Zendikar either)

[Lostsoul]

Just played with the new update!! Great! Just great!

Anyway I have a question don't know if this is the right place but It's a bit of related I think. I'll just throw the question out. I've been trying to look for a link that will explain what the versions mean. When I used the switcher. Does the option mean that the zandelar has more cards or the normal magic. The bottom line is I Just wanna know their differences or are they the same.

It's great that the coin animation is working. It's just great!!

Thank you

[franjoal]

Now when time has happened I would like Jatill that you were unblocking the rest of the cards of the gauntlet as the cursed scroll that I do not have yet it unblocked and want him..

If you were doing it I will be grateful for it to you very much.

Certainly do you know anything about the online, if someone can arrange it so that it works or someone is in it? I want of multiplayer with all these updates that is a sorrow that could not play them.

Greetings

[jatill]

Orion79-
What is menus.txt? Is that only used in the deck builder? I have never opened that file before.

[jatill]

Anyway I have a question don't know if this is the right place but It's a bit of related I think. I'll just throw the question out. I've been trying to look for a link that will explain what the versions mean. When I used the switcher. Does the option mean that the zandelar has more cards or the normal magic. The bottom line is I Just wanna know their differences or are they the same.

My downloads contain 2 versions. The default version is the "Best of Version", which I only add great cards to. It is meant for constructed play. There is also the "Zendikar" version, which contains the entire Zendikar set, at the expense of some other cards. It is meant only for limited play (i.e. Sealed and Draft). That's why when I added 15 missing 8th edition cards, I added them to the Zendikar version. I am just making the limited format more compelte. No one of going to argue that Spreading Algae or Bog Tatters is a "best of" card worthy of one of the remaining 50 slots.

If my wish were to come true, there would be no 2000 card limit and the versions could be combined. But for now they must remain 2 versions. Maybe someone can convince Snacko or Tapini to do it. Not me.

Re: Challenge Mode
All the details about the rules and unlock cards are on the wiki.
I am never going to unlock the 1 card per challenge. If you don't want to play the challenges, just pretend those cards were never coded.

[0rion79]

Orion79-
What is menus.txt? Is that only used in the deck builder? I have never opened that file before.

It contains some "voices" for the deckbuilder, as the creature type in the filters, the names of the card sets (unlmimited, revised & co.) and other minor details. Also, I think it is used for Shandlar too.
Sadly, some voices can be extended only if the Magic.exe is upgraded by conseguence. For example, if you add some extra creature type, they won't show up if the total number is not increased in Magic.exe
Or, making another example, it holds the list of cards (not only creatures) by ability: first strike, vigilance, web... once I've tried to add "shroud" or "buyback" or whatever you want and they appear in the game, but there is no way to interact with them since they need do be coded in the Magic.exe and in cards.dat too. Hope I've been of help.

Ah, about the new cards in 8th edition, is all the data inside magic.exe? because if it is only a matter of copy & paste, maybe I can do the job.
Would you mind if I would use the bounceland slots for them? I agree with Mathusalem's suggestion also because, with all the good multilands in the game and considering how bad the AI behaves with them, I never use them, too.