Making your own power cards

[Lord Tirian]

Originally Posted by Kirnon_Bhale

That looks really nice. How do I use it though? I am new at card making and don't know how to add this to the list of cards available.

Well, what about that: New Template Pack. It's my template from above, but now with DDM-style template, as well as a very simple barebones template. I hope it's compatible with the old files, but I cannot promise.

@KnightOtu: If you like it, feel free to include it on the MSE forums. I'm off tinkering... perhaps I'll produce something useful... - I always want to hear suggestions, if possible.

Cheers, LT.

[Belorin]

I'm now working on Magic Items, the plain scroll card works nicely.

Bel

[mvincent]

Originally Posted by Belorin

I'm now working on Magic Items, the plain scroll card works nicely.

Will you be posting them?

Since this seems to be good idea, is anyone planning to create an area to store all these things? Maybe even an area where everyone can collaborate, provide pictures, etc.?

[Cam Banks]

Folks who are planning on creating power cards and sharing them with others should please check their spelling, too, if possible. "Missile" has a second I, for instance.

Cheers,
Cam

[Belorin]

Originally Posted by mvincent

Will you be posting them?

Since this seems to be good idea, is anyone planning to create an area to store all these things? Maybe even an area where everyone can collaborate, provide pictures, etc.?

I may post them if I can.

Bel

[Kirnon_Bhale]

Originally Posted by Lord Tirian

Well, what about that: New Template Pack. It's my template from above, but now with DDM-style template, as well as a very simple barebones template. I hope it's compatible with the old files, but I cannot promise.

@KnightOtu: If you like it, feel free to include it on the MSE forums. I'm off tinkering... perhaps I'll produce something useful... - I always want to hear suggestions, if possible.

Cheers, LT.

Thanks for that! I think it looks better then a Magic Template. I will now download and get cracking.

[Knight Otu]

Originally Posted by Lord Tirian

@KnightOtu: If you like it, feel free to include it on the MSE forums. I'm off tinkering... perhaps I'll produce something useful... - I always want to hear suggestions, if possible.

I'll do so when I have finished my own staff, and I'll look at yours before to be able to give some more feedback.

[Khaalis]

Is there a known issue with MSE2 on Vista? For the life of me I cannot get the program to run accepting any of the non-core installed templates. As soon as I add one to the data directory the program chokes and either says it is an unsupported file format or completely fails to load even the core installed templates. I've tried with a variety of the templates here and no luck.

[Ashardalon]

Originally Posted by Khaalis

Is there a known issue with MSE2 on Vista? For the life of me I cannot get the program to run accepting any of the non-core installed templates. As soon as I add one to the data directory the program chokes and either says it is an unsupported file format or completely fails to load even the core installed templates. I've tried with a variety of the templates here and no luck.

As far as I'm aware, people are using MSE on Vista mostly without problems - I recall a few had problems, but not what you describe. I can post this on the bug report thread, but if you have some more info, that might help.

[Khaalis]

Originally Posted by Ashardalon

As far as I'm aware, people are using MSE on Vista mostly without problems - I recall a few had problems, but not what you describe. I can post this on the bug report thread, but if you have some more info, that might help.

Ok, here is what I am seeing.

1) Installed MSE V0.3.5b full version (mse2-2007-09-21.exe).
2) Open and get “new Set” or “Open Set”
3) Open Set find nothing to open
4) New Set gives options for MtG, Vanguard, VS, YuGiOh. I can select any of those existing templates.
5) Downloaded the templates from the 1st post (magic-new-fulltext.zip) which is supposed to work in MSE2 as others here have done it. The folder seems to be basically identical to the other “-style” folders pre-installed with the installer.
6) My understanding is that you simply need to add the new “-style” folder to the Data directory.
7) Re-start MSE2 but no new syles – just the 4 pre-installed.
8) However, if I click on any I get the following message.
-----ERROR: File not found: 'style' in package 'D:\Program Files (x86)\Magic Set Editor 2\data\magic-new-fulltext.mse-style'
9) Hit OK, and then I can access the old 4 styles.
10) I tried to copy over a “style” file from another folder. It does away with the error message, but still no access to the template.

I am probably missing something rather simple here, but I've tried this with the various styles people have posted and get the same results regardless of which style I try it with.

Any hints would be appreciated.


Edit...
I am also getting the following when I actually pick one of the pre-installed files to try and work with.
-----ERROR: File not found: 'text_mask.png' in package 'D:\Program Files (x86)\Magic Set Editor 2\data\magic-new-fulltext.mse-style'

(also for border_mask.png and image_mask.png)

So now it appears to be looking for the fulltext style no matter what template I try to pull.

[Khaalis]

Another question. Do you have to customize the game and style files for each template? None of the styles I have downloaded have included these files.

[Ashardalon]

Huh. In the mse-style folders, there should be a style file already, along with the necessary image files (a few pngs and several jpgs). Simply unzipping the zip file you downloaded in the data folder should add the folder to be ready to be used. Lordpenguin over on the MSE forums suggested checking the file permissions of the folder and the style file.

[Knight Otu]

While we're trying to fix that...

Originally Posted by Lord Tirian

@KnightOtu: If you like it, feel free to include it on the MSE forums. I'm off tinkering... perhaps I'll produce something useful... - I always want to hear suggestions, if possible.

The DDM-style colors seem a bit too muted, though that may just be my crappy monitor. Otherwise, I like what I see.
Also, I've gotten off my lazy behind and added

• a default script to automatically determine which color to use for the card (red for encounter, green for at-will, normal for the rest (daily)). Other colors can of course still be selected manually. That's in the game file, so it works with your templates just fine.
• a png with a black header for my templates. Since your templates don't have (and don't need) such a file, I turned it into a style option that replaces the light grey. It's active by default (if someone wants the light grey, it can be turned off, and for individual cards if you want to mix light grey and black).
• the center text option to my templates. I don't think anyone will need it, but you can choose to center none of the text boxes, either of the text boxes, or both text boxes. Do you want me to add that to your templates?

[Lord Tirian]

Originally Posted by Knight Otu

The DDM-style colors seem a bit too muted, though that may just be my crappy monitor. Otherwise, I like what I see.

Let me double-check, when I get the time. I used the preview DDM cards to get some colours, but I was visiting my parents the last two weeks, so I've worked on a different monitor... I'll check back when I get the time.

Originally Posted by Knight Otu

Do you want me to add that to your templates?

Yes, please!

Cheers, LT.

[Ashardalon]

Now also downloadable from the file library (first post).

[Khaalis]

Originally Posted by Ashardalon

Huh. In the mse-style folders, there should be a style file already, along with the necessary image files (a few pngs and several jpgs). Simply unzipping the zip file you downloaded in the data folder should add the folder to be ready to be used. Lordpenguin over on the MSE forums suggested checking the file permissions of the folder and the style file.

Thanks for checking into it. Everything works perfectly fine on my XP system. I'll have to double check the folders and file permissions (though I have full admin rights) on my Vista system. I'll have to let you know if I can figure out why it wasn't working in Vista. I could see and access the style files that were installed via the MSE installer, but not any that were attained via download.

[Oryzarius]

Fun to find this thread! (New member, first-time poster).

I've been working on the same concept, albeit in a different format than MtG-sized cards. Mine are landscape-format, third-of-a-sheet pieces, created in Adobe InDesign -- I hate reading small text, and there's a lot of detail in some powers, particularly the advanced Wizard spells we've seen in the DDXP page previews. The design is not as lavish as some of examples here, since I tend to eschew backgrounds for readability (and ink savings!).

I've used color-coded borders for classes (to make it easier for different players to find their own cards and fish them out of the discard pile after the encounter, for example) with a different border style to distinguish encounter from daily powers (since I figure at-will should go on the character sheet).

I think I've figured out how thumbnails/attachments work, so I've attached some examples.

[Knight Otu]

Originally Posted by Oryzarius

I hate reading small text, and there's a lot of detail in some powers, particularly the advanced Wizard spells we've seen in the DDXP page previews.

I agree that this can be a concern, but since the cards don't have to be the same size except for convenience, that can be solved regardless of how they're created.

[ianleblanc]

Wow! fantastic! Awesome! These are but some of the many words that come to mind!

The only thing I would recommend, would be to use the original abbreviations like dex and 2[w] instead of of words like 'weapon' or 'weapon times 2' in the descriptions. I figure this might help with the space issue, plus it will make it more consistent with the WotC books.

And maybe have background cards that indicate whether its a daily/encounter/at will power.
(this could also be done on the borders)


But seriously, these are the best fan made products I've ever seen!
Congrats guys!

[ianleblanc]

mikekannard, what program did you use to make your card? (I'm looking for something that might work on OS X)

Do you still have the template?

Thanks