Open beta test for Mac deck builder

[tanthorjen]

Hi all,

For those who use Macs, I've recently put Decked Builder for the Mac up for open beta testing. It is a deck building app for the Mac, allowing you to find cards, and build, analyze and test your deck. Like most Mac apps, it's designed to be easy on the eyes, while providing all the core features that most people would need.

You can find out more, and download the beta client at:

http://deckedbuilder.weebly.com/mac.html

Please send any feedback to deckedbuilder@gmail.com, or just post it on this thread.

Thanks for reading!

[Huggybaby]

Welcome tanthorjen.

I wish I had a Mac. The way you use the art and edition symbols in your deck list is fantastic, the best I've ever seen. And that implementation should be be stolen and used as a starting point by every developer here who needs UI ideas.

PS Are you familiar with the George Baxter analysis technique?

[tanthorjen]

Hi Huggybaby,

Thanks for the compliment! Do you mind if I quote you on that sometime in the future?

I actually have an iPhone/iPod touch version of the Mac app as well, you can find it at

http://deckedbuilder.weebly.com

If you want a complimentary copy, just drop me an email and I'll be happy to provide.

[tanthorjen]

Oh, and to answer about the George Baxter analysis technique, I had never heard of it until today. But I just looked it up on the Internet. Thanks for the reference!

It's an intriguing way to analyze land ratios. I prefer to just draw hands of seven myself and see what happens Do you use it?

[Huggybaby]

Well, I'm trying to find out exactly how it's done without buying his book, even though it's cheap. MWS is the only app that will do this analysis and I'm trying to make the technique available to all the developers here.

And yes, feel free to quote me. )

[tanthorjen]

Here's a writeup I found on the Internet, not sure if you've seen it:

http://www.mtgsalvation.com/222-out-of- ... -mana.html

It's pretty in depth, so it should get you most of the way there.

[Incantus]

Hey tanthorjen,

That looks really nice (and I have a mac, yay!) Quick question - was it hard to get the copyright release for the iphone version? I'm wondering how open WotC is to this, although they probably wouldn't give me one for Incantus. Anyway, nice job!

[tanthorjen]

Hey Incantus,

There are tons of deck builders out there including online ones, and WOTC never does anything about it. So I think I'm pretty safe (included the relevant copyright notices and Apple has approved it too).

I think WOTC draws the line at anything related to playing the actual game as it competes with MTGO, so I highly doubt they'd be open to Incantus. I've an interesting idea for Incantus, will PM you about it.

[Bog Wraith]

Is there any plans to make a version that is native in resolution for the iPad & not an app that is ported over from iPhone? I don't like to use apps that have to be magnified by using the 2x button as they all are too pixelated.

As for the Mac beta, I noticed that the Preferences are greyed out & not available in the beta. WIll we be able to choose which card images we want to use instead of from the net? We have the best HQ card images in the Universe here at CCGHQ, and I use them for all my different apps & games that require the card images.

As for the Mac version, it's ok, but I prefer Nate's DeckBuilder, viewforum.php?f=29 as it also has the rules viewer as part of the app & I like how it integrates with Jorbes' Online Play Table app, viewforum.php?f=50

Though I am a Mac user, I don't like programs that have multiple open windows. Photoshop is a real pain in that way. Both Final Cut Pro & DVD Studio Pro are like that too, but I can group multiple windows together when I am working in them for when I need more screen real estate.
Can you implement something like that so all open windows can be linked together when I would like to move them?
I realize that your app is probably a port from the iPhone version, so it is necessary to have these smaller multiple windows, but on the Mac, at least IMO, this is not necessary & it just makes me have to drag multiple windows when ever I want to move the app on my screen.

BTW, thank you for all that you did in creating Apprentice. I spent a number of years playing with it and the app was rock solid and was a joy to use!

[Incantus]

Wait, tanthorjen created Apprentice?

[Huggybaby]

Yes, see viewtopic.php?p=47325#p47325

[tanthorjen]

Hey Bog Wraith,

Thanks for the feedback! I've been thinking alot about you've said about having multiple windows. You're absolutely right, it was a direct port from the iPhone version, and I don't really like the look and feel as it is too. You're not the only person to talk about having a single window.

Let me work on it and see if I can get it into a single window.

I did think about an iPad app for the deck builder, but first I want to get the HD pictures (courtesy of the CCGHQ team) into the iPhone version first. And I guess I'll probably sort out the multiple windows on the Mac version before starting the iPad one.

I'm still pondering if the iPad version would work well if it followed the same UI as the iPhone one (separate search and deck views), or having a unified view.

[Bog Wraith]

I look forward to seeing this app grow.

As for the iPad version, I think there is enough screen real estate that multiple windows aren't necessary.