Making your own power cards

Khaalis · May 2, 2008

For Beastman ...

How are you getting 9 cards per sheet? Are they standard 3.5" x 2.5"? What program are you using to build the print sheets?

What I've been doing is exporting all the .jpg files then adding them into a Word template that uses tables so I can do a 2 sided print if I want (allowing for a printed card back on the same card - printed on card stock). However, the max I can get is 8 cards per page in landscape this way.

Khaalis · May 2, 2008

randolph said:
Just so it doesn't drown in that mega post...My vote (and what I'm currently using):
Frequency of Use Axis
At-Will: Green
Encounter: Red
Daily: Black
None-of-the-above: White/Gray (though blue looks great too) - My reasoning is that these tend to be class features/universal rules, so could be represented by a more "basic" color - but I'm not particularly married to the idea.

I like the idea of a white/gray for the "Basic" or "Feature" type cards. However, its only an option in your template. Since we are working on bundling all 3 of these templates into one working system (so we can swap out between styles) it would be nice to make it a uniform choice across templates if possible. At least for Quindia's that would require him offering up a white/gray template. Not sure how the colors are handled in Trolls'.

Origin Axis
I'm thinking some sort of border or background blend to visually represent this, because to me, an Item Encounter power is still an Encounter power.

Item: Silver border/blend with silver?

I don't think a blend is the best option here. I think this could result in some horrific color combinations and might not translate well for printed cards.

If it is possible, I would suggest denoting an area of the Item Card to color to denote its "Power Category". What I would suggest is creating 3 additional Colored "dots" in addition to the standard Attack Icons.

Thus for "+1 Dwarven Plate Armor" (a Primary Item) you could have say a Gold border with Red filled circle (instead of white circle with an attack icon) in the Attack Icon slot to indicate that the item has an "Encounter Power".

Example:

I think this is a lot easier and cleaner than getting into blended or dual-colored borders. JMHO. Thoughts?

EDIT: I see that in the "symbol-negative.mse-symbol-font" folder there are both a "dot.png" (a black dot) and a "dot_w.png" (a white dot) but in the script, there is no way to choose the white dot. This is basically exactly what I was looking for in the example above. Would this work?

Class: default
Feat: Blue border/blend with blue?

I'm not sure there is a specific need for a feat specific color. For example "Power of Amaunator" I think works best being denoted by an "Encounter" card just like the rest of the Channel Divinity cleric powers. However, I could see the use of the blue bordered feat cards for feats that augment other powers, such as the new racial feats we have saw in today's preview.

Multiclass: Border/blend with Primary Class color code OR with a fixed "multiclass" color (gold?)
One concern with the first Multiclass power card option is that you'll essentially need to make them on demand. The second option isn't as cool, but you'll still need to basically copy all of your powers and change the borders/blend.

The only "multiclass" cards I see as necessary would derive from the "Multiclass" feats. For example the multiclass cleric feat grants Healing Word 1/day, which is different than the standard Healing Word power. However, I think this would classify as falling under the FEAT cards (blue border).
Thoughts?

Khaalis · May 2, 2008

Mercutio01 said:
I'm using the print option in the MSE to print to PDF using CutePDF. It works with no problem for Trolls or Randolph's style, but using Quindia's yields a null PDF with no images.

I've also tried using other PDF writers and get the same result, so I suspect there's something wrong with the MSE template for Quindia's, which sucks (and no offense to the hard work of Troll or Randolph) because it's the one I like best.

Any ideas?

Hello Mercutio01. I went and downloaded the CutePDF Writer software to test this. I'm running Vista 64 and once I got the software installed I ran a print test and it worked fine on Quindia's template page. Do you have GPL Ghostscript 8.15 installed? It says that it Requires a PS2PDF Converter for CutePDF and recommends Ghostscript.

PS Beastman - NM my last post. After doing this test I am assuming you are also using the Print to PDF converter as they appear the same.

randolph · May 2, 2008

2008/05/01 Update

General
* Now a "standalone" MSE package, no longer requires installing M:tG MSE files
* Watermarking now supported, but not included in any style files yet - I don't have any decent artwork.
* Card color selection now lists "Daily," "Encounter," and "At-Will," plus some color names. Will adjust the other color names per consensus.

Template specific

Quindia:
* Now supports Silver and Gold cards
* Quick-and-dirty fix for super long names and/or descriptors: secondary fields for both that will auto-scale fontsize to fit. Use these instead of the primary fields when this comes up.
* Added Basic Melee, Basic Ranged, and Basic Hybrid (Basic Melee/Ranged) icons.

Trolls:
* Now has drop-shadow in both primary and secondary name fields.

R:
* Now supports "Silver" and "Gold" cards... Though they're pretty hideous.
* Added Basic Melee, Basic Ranged, and Basic Hybrid (Basic Melee/Ranged) icons.

Known Issues
* I probably broke some set files made with yesterday's release, sorry. This time, it should only be the card colors.

Planned Features
* Create a modification of my symbol font to support Trolls' template.
* Represent Power Source and source of power visually... somehow...
* Finish the DDXP pregen power set, with images (50% complete).

Edit: Updated version in this post.

Khaalis · May 2, 2008

randolph said:
Update

Great work as usual. Everything works fine, though you are correct that anything made in the older version needs to have the card colors reassigned. The color reassigning isn't all that painful though. I think we are well on the way to a complete power card generator.

Khaalis · May 2, 2008

Card Back

For anyone interested, here is the card back I am using.

Both the .png for MSE and a true 2.5"x3.5" .jpg.

quindia · May 2, 2008

Here's a white card...

I didn't worry about backs for my cards because I am using sleeves with solid color backs that match the card; it makes a nice "border" around the card as well.

I am able to fit nine cards per page as well in a portrait format:

My cards are 2.5x3.5".

I have no experience with MSE (or desire to learn to use the program) so I can't be any help with questions regarding those files, but I will gladly continue to add graphics for Randolph's heroic efforts!

Osamar · May 2, 2008

Fantastic job Trolls, Quindia and Khaalis.

Two little ideas.
For the objects/treasure card. To add a chest into the red filled circle for objets cards (wands, rings, weapons, armors, etc). An even a gem for gems cards and a pile of gold for "money cards".

Like the cards are not just "power cards" you could add a more generic "4th Ed. D&D Cards".

Please excuse my english.

Trolls · May 2, 2008

I noticed some of the notches are in the wrong place for my version, there's been an update to the template since randolph downloaded the template. I made a few changes to sort this out. Here's the new style:

Khaalis · May 2, 2008

quindia said:
Here's a white card...

Excellent. I look forward to Randolph getting this added into the style and game files (since I apparently can't quite get the technique for the scripting right on these).

I didn't worry about backs for my cards because I am using sleeves with solid color backs that match the card; it makes a nice "border" around the card as well.

Not a bad idea, but I have players who don't want to mess with buying stuff like that, so I figure its just as easy to print some double sided cards, so they don't just have a blank back.

I am able to fit nine cards per page as well in a portrait format:
My cards are 2.5x3.5".

Ok. I gotta ask. How are you managing this? Is this a function of Corell that lets you create a sheet in those sizes? I guess it all really comes down to what you can minimize the margins too.

For me, I have 2 options right now.
1) Dump a print from MSE to pdf which will create 9 cards per page in portrait but they auto-size at 3-1/8" x 2-1/4" which is too small.
2) I dump each card into an individual .jpg and add it to a Word 2007 .doc (which I can then convert to .pdf if I need to) at the correct 3.5x2.5 size. With margins as small as I can get them this means only 8 cards per page in landscape format (2 rows x 4 cards).