A New MTG Software Program

Bullzzeye · Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 12

Hey all,

I played MTG a long time ago back in the invasion block. I just recently decided that I wanted to get back into it by playing online. I am upset to set the very limited options when it comes to MTG software. Apprentice is outdated and ugly, and MTG-Workstation has flashy advertisements and is unintuitive. (no I am not going to pay money for a piece of crappy software)

I'm considering writing my own piece of software that has deck-building, online play (1v1 and tournaments/drafts) all integrated together. And I would make it a much higher quality product than MTG-workstation. [this would be FREE software]

Is this a good idea and worth my effort? or is the consensus that magic workstation is "good enough" and there is not much need for improvement.

Let me know what you think!

_Riku_ · Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 2

First of all, MWS is very free, and a very nice program. Sure, it has its bugs, but nothing is so devastating that we need to throw the program away for something new.

It costs $20 (OPTIONAL) for like one more feature.... Or you could not register it, and still use the program as easy as anyone else.

snoopster · Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Posts: 730 Location: nj

drafts and tournaments would be cool to have as built-in features, though, so i say give it a shot

NeoFiasco · Joined: 20 Jul 2008 Posts: 13

I think that would be a great idea. I like mws and think it's a great program but it lacks in so many things, a big one being drafting. We can't draft here w/o using apprentice and no1 likes using that program. A new piece of software would be amazing. I thought one was being developed but idk I haven't heard much from that.

ck3gds · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 247

Throw in multiplayer capabilities and I'd more than gladly grab a copy of it! (Though I know it's already a big issue trying to program the underlying networks stuff...)

Craze · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 5426 Location: Indiana, U

Soo many people have said "I'm gonna build a new mtg program" and ended up with nothing. The league even supported a guy building a program called GO and thats still no where near finished.
I don't question your ability to do it, just your motivation. You'd have to have a ridiculous amount of free time to build a free mtg program that beats mws.

mTk-Away · Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 78

The main problem in all these MTG projects has been, I guess, that they're all one man shows. And those tend to die out after the sugar rush is gone. History has shown in many times that building a decent MTG client is a bit too much for one man.

If you want good software - and most of all one that gets finished - plan it up first and build a team. For both of those, feel free to use these forums.

Also, consider what is really needed and what isn't. Sure tournaments could be cool, but is that feature really required, especially since online leagues exist? Most of all, is it too much work (probably is).

We all wish you good luck with your project, but for heaven's sake don't take a cold start and get tired when it's 60% finished, as it has happened with all the other projects.

gypsy · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 903

its not mws thats the problem with drafting, other online leagues have drafts on mws fine its that draft software for mws is hard to find/program. mws is free and a lot better than appr.

blitzer2k7 · Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 61

It would be nice to have a different program though Id really like to see one with multi-player capability..

Ashmatan · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 56

NeoFiasco-->You knew that you can import the deck you drafted from apprentice to MWS to play on it instead, right?

Laplie · League Staff Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 551

Bullzzeye · Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 12

Thanks for your input, it seems like the consensus is that built-in online play (tournaments/drafting) would be a great feature.

@Craze, mTk -- Haha, I know exactly what you mean with the "sugar rush". It is a plague that kills most software developers. Let me say that I have completed a full online RTS (real-time strategy) game by myself, so motivation is not an issue. Additionally, networking is my forte, so tournaments and such would be a non-issue.

I'm thinking of making a match-making server which you could go to and see a "lobby" where you can chat and see a list of games that you can join to play other people. (sort of like lobby's for when you do things like starcraft, halo, countersrike, etc...)

This server architecture would have capabilities of starting tournaments and drafts (maybe only by the admins)

One of the funnest things about MTG (in my opinion), is making the best deck(s) that you can given a limited set of cards. While having every single card available to make your decks can be fun, I sort of liked how it was in real life where you were limited because cards costed MONEY. So what I was thinking was doing something like having "Seasons" where each person is given like 300 virtual dollars and you can buy booster packs from the server. And every season, people are given another package of virtual money. This whole system would be ON THE SIDE. You could choose to play games or tournaments which are "Open" where you can use cards that you don't personally own.

Don't think that I'm just a dreamer, I get shit done, really!

Jacois · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 477

Is the source code for workstation available? If so couldn't MWS just be updated by a would be developer?

Jorbes · Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Netherland

Hi BullzEye,

Great idea!

What kind of graphics engine are you using in the client?

TheHardware · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 1

Well, the idea is exciting, as both Appr and MWS has many limitations, specially in drafts. Even if we use netdraft, there's no server for it. A MWS like server with a Netdraft like program would be great.
I also had the same idea of writing a program, the only problem is that i'm not that skilled for coding a program with those features. Sad

But i loved the idea, count me in if you need a hand!