Hey! How about a begginers guide 2013 ?

[yojimbo55]

First! I have spent quite some time to figure out how to make custom decks and tried to learn from the previous posts.
But try understand that this forum is like a maze for a new user like me .

What would work for me is a simple guide like: 1: read stuff from that link. 2: download that deck editor. etc.etc

and thanx in advance.

Cheers Jimbo

[thefiremind]

Not everyone can learn the same way, it often depends on the background knowledge, but I'll try to make you start as I started back in DotP2012 days. I had the Deck Editor Revised which has been a great help, but I believe that the most important thing was an almost empty DLC file that I began to edit. So, I made something similar:

Deck_1234_TEST.zip

Test deck for beginners

(114.45 KiB) Downloaded 1381 times

I just took cards from Garruk's and Chandra's revenge decks, plus a card made by me, so that you can see where the custom content goes. Of course this deck won't be great if you play it (taking random cards from 2 decks can hardly result in something good ), but once you learn how to edit a deck, you'll be able to tune it by yourself.

After downloading and extracting the ZIP file I attached, you'll just have another WAD file as the ones already inside the game directory. So, what to do now?
Download Gibbed Tools from here:
viewtopic.php?f=99&t=7341
(Ignore the first link, use the second)
If you aren't using Theta version 1.0r36 (or a later Theta update) of DotP2013, download from the third link, too. You'll get a DLL that you have to keep inside the game directory, which will allow you to use custom decks.
Extract Gibbed Tools in a directory of your choice (for example, I have a "Modding" sub-directory inside the DotP2013 directory where I put everything pertaining to modding). Drag and drop Deck_1234_TEST.wad on Gibbed.Duels.Unpack, you'll end up with a Deck_1234_TEST_unpacked directory. Follow the sub-directories inside until you open DATA_ALL_PLATFORMS. Here's the important part of the WAD file.

• ART_ASSETS: all card and deck illustrations go here (card pictures go in a sub-folder called ILLUSTRATIONS as you can see from the test deck).
• CARDS: all card XML files go here.
• DECKS: this is where you'll start to look at: the decks directory.
• TEXT_PERMANENT: here you can find an XML file in Excel format that contains the localised text for the deck name. It's possible to add localised text also for AI player names, in-game queries (questions like "Would you like to draw a card?"), etc.
• UNLOCKS: I left this sub-directory empty: unlocks still have some problems that no modder could totally solve, so just ignore them for now.

Enter the DECKS sub-directory. There are 2 XML files.
The "_LAND_POOL" XML file actually just lists the lands that the deck can use. It must have the same name as the deck, plus "_LAND_POOL". You don't need to edit this file for now: you'll have to open it and change its ID in case you copy it for another deck because all the decks ("_LAND_POOL" included) must have a different ID. More on this when you feel more comfortable with editing.
Open the other XML file (the one without "_LAND_POOL") with a text editor like Notepad. As you can see, this is the list of the cards that the deck contains.
If, for example, you want to remove Firewing Phoenix and add another Ulvenwald Tracker, delete FIREWING_PHOENIX_301087 and write ULVENWALD_TRACKER_277710 in its place. What if you want to add a card that isn't in this deck yet? You need a list of the cards included in the game, so you can know their filenames. Either you unpack all original decks, or you rely on someone who already did that for us:
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=6784&start=105#p91398
Once you think you edited the deck enough, it's time to repack it. Drag and drop the Deck_1234_TEST_unpacked directory on Gibbed.Duels.Pack. You'll obtain a Deck_1234_TEST_unpacked.wad (you can delete the "_unpacked" part from the name, I think it would work anyway but it's better looking without it). Put your new WAD file in your DotP2013 directory and play with your test deck.

I think this is enough as a starting tutorial, let me know if you have been successful.

[yojimbo55]

Omg. The magnitude of you efforts just chocked me there(far better response than expected. I am thrilled!!
I will get to work the first thing i do tomorrow morning when i have my cup of coffee.
il let you guys know how my progress goes. chances are that i will fail. But hopefully others will have uses for this at least.

Tanx btw.

[yojimbo55]

alrite i have been successful. It was surprisingly easy to do this.

So far i have been able:
1: Open the test_Deck in game
2: unpack it using the Gibbed unpack.
3: Change the files so i get new creature cards.
4: And finally open mine created(Drule) deck in game.

So we definitive have a working beginners guide 2013!

Ty for the good work!

Now thats left to learn is: make your own custom cards.

[thefiremind]

Now thats left to learn is: make your own custom cards.

This is different because you can't just follow some steps and create any card: you often have to put new pieces of code inside the cards. Some basic programming knowledge is recommended in that case, but you can start with cards that are very similar to already coded ones, copying a piece from here, a piece from there... I think everyone started that way, more or less. For example, let's pretend that you need to make a card with vigilance and deathtouch (not sure if it exists, but it's just an example ). Take a card that has vigilance and maybe something else, make a copy of that card's XML, remove that unneeded "something else" from your copy, find a card with deathtouch, copy the deathtouch part, and paste it inside your card. Then you'll have to change the other parts: name, ID (always different for each card, same rule that goes for the decks), cost, power/toughness, picture, artist's name, etc.
If you need the localised text for card title, flavour text, abilities, you have lots of options:
viewtopic.php?f=99&t=6926
viewtopic.php?f=99&t=7483
viewtopic.php?f=99&t=7407
those 3 tools all fetch localised text for you, just choose the one you prefer.
Once your new card XML is ready, put it into the CARDS folder of your test deck, and add some copies of the card to a custom deck, so you can see if it works.
I didn't forget the part about how to make a custom picture for the card, but the card works with or without the picture, so I think it's better if you try to make a couple of cards without having to worry about the pictures, for now.

[yojimbo55]

I hope soon i have a self made custom deck out!

My only issue now is that i don't know how to change land cards. I am currently stuck with the red and green lands that you gave me . I tried to be smart and add is_black="true" in the DECK_1234TEST file. But that only adds a black symbol in the preview deck in campaign mode. I have searched in all files, but not found anything particular.
I think that i have to do something in the DECK_1234TEST_LAND_POOL .

[thefiremind]

No, you don't have to edit the "_LAND_POOL" deck. The type of lands is automatically determined by the costs of the cards inside the deck. For example, if you remove all the green cards and add black cards, you'll have Swamps instead of Forests. The tags is_black, is_green, etc. only change the colors that you see on the deck box in the deck selection menu and have no effect on the deck itself.

[yojimbo55]

Hell yeah. After a days work i managed to make my first black deck. Very basic with few cards.
Its discard/vampire/destroy based deck.
"tp://speedy.sh/PT8kn/Test-deck1.rar" >> just ad "ht" >> "http" in the beginning link!
Also whenever i win against the opponent the game crashes:x.

And tomorrow i continue with your lessons in making new cards.
So hopefully i can soon contribute new cards(decks) to the community :D

[thefiremind]

Also whenever i win against the opponent the game crashes:x.

This is a very common problem that doesn't have only one reason. I can't see anything wrong in your deck, but you used a very high number for the deck's and land pool's ID, maybe it isn't fully supported. Try to use shorter IDs (I use 7 digits at most).

[RiiakShiNal]

Well, the problem is not dealing with the size of the number. I know because they are the numbers I used for the Eyes of Shadow Deck (which works fine). Though the crash could be because the numbers were re-used for his deck.

The game does not like it when ids are re-used. Everyone should have their own numbering scheme, I use high numbers (but still below the 32-bit signed integer limit, ~2.147 billion, to make sure I don't have problems) starting with 8192 followed by a five digit number for the number of the deck with flags that I use for land pool and unlock ids, thefiremind uses numbers for decks starting with 1999 then the number of the deck (as a two digit number) then modifies that number for land pool and unlock ids. Kevlahnota started with 881 (if I remember correctly) and increments from there for each deck.

[thefiremind]

That explains everything, I thought he chose the number at random. If he used your IDs then that's the problem.

[RiiakShiNal]

That explains everything, I thought he chose the number at random. If he used your IDs then that's the problem.

More than likely since the numbers I use aren't likely to be picked by random so he probably has my mod installed then decided to use the numbers from the Eyes of Shadow deck (or used it as his template and forgot to change the ids).

Upon closer examination it looks like he used it as his template (I'm flattered), though since it is a black deck the attribute is_white="true" should be changed to is_black="true" and the preview card should probably be changed since Megrim is not in the deck in addition to changing the IDs of course.

Changing the deck box image is optional though is recommended so it is easier to tell the two decks apart.

[yojimbo55]

So today i managed to make a raging goblin with deathtouch (dear god what have i done). To my big surprise the in game picture automatically ad's new statuses to the picture. like flying, death touch etc.

Tomorrow i will try make a whole new card.(lets see how that goes)

I will also make a little donation to the site.

[thefiremind]

To my big surprise the in game picture automatically ad's new statuses to the picture. like flying, death touch etc.

These are called "badges" and DotP2013 adds them automatically when adding a predefined static ability (while DotP2012 required a separate function for the badge).

[yojimbo55]

I managed to get my first custom self made card "done" :D Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo



The issues: Haste, flying, My card XML docent have those code ability's. Instead i added Defender, and Bushido. (just wanted to see if Bushido existed as a "basic" ability you could add to the card).
And the name Raging Goblino is the first card i made, that have flying and haste.

The issues seems like the game keeps some info from my last made card.
Ofc i looked into my OPAL_EYE_255667 xml code if there were any old reference code back to RAGING_GOBLINO_25666 xml.
Perhaps the fault is 25666 is to similar id to 255667 !?
Still funny how most of the card is still correct: Mana cost, Creature name, power, toughness, artist name.

Mayby theres an typical bug going on ? SOLVED !!!! See next post !!


I still need some more programming till this card is done. Probably have to hard program in the Bushido ability. And the rest of the cards ability's. http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=74655

I also found some very interesting links today for this forum post if anyone else attempts to make custom cards.
How to make cards http://www.slightlymagic.net/wiki/Duels_of_the_Planeswalkers
Card art http://www.slightlymagic.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=7766