IT'S MAGIC

End of july I thought the FFB Test version would be "feature-complete", meaning that there are still several bugs to test and fix but no more new features would be added. WRONG! As I started thinking about the database migration necessary to make old replays work on the new FFB version, I realized that I would need to lay the groundwork for cards as well before doing that. Cards will change the model and bring new things to store in the database. So if I have to do a migration anyway (which is a lot of work) it would be better to have these things in place NOW so I don't need to migrate again once I get them done.

Ok, so I started on adding card stuff to the game model. But then I got a bit carried away and ended up doing a complete deck of cards front to back. So the new FFB test version will have *drumroll* MAGIC ITEMS.

[url="http://www.balancedbytes.com/ffb/screenshot_buy_cards_20120808_small.png" alt=""]
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This is the card buying dialog. Card buying is a step that happens before buying the rest of the inducements (as before). It needs to be separate because it can be in addition to or in place of the regular inducements (as per the optional rules) and you need to see what you buy right away (to decide if you want to draw another card).

[url="http://www.balancedbytes.com/ffb/screenshot_inducements_20120808_small.png" alt=""]
(click to enlarge)

The bought cards show up in the inducements dialog like all the other inducements. You can see a detailed list of your cards, while your opponent only sees how many cards of which type you have bought.

[url="http://www.balancedbytes.com/ffb/screenshot_active_cards_20120808_small.png" alt=""]
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Here a card has been played on a player, giving him new skills (marked red). The fact that there is a card active on the player is indicated by a small card symbol on the player portrait. There is a new menu showing all active cards in play, as well as a tray icon showing how many more a player holds (not played yet).

I ended up implementing 12 of the possible 13 magic items (all except the teleporation ring). Those have been comparatively easy to integrate and are beneficial enhancements, so more useful than chaotic. This is to show that it works and have everything in place for 1.0. More cards will surely follow in later updates to the productive version, although some will probably never happen (like the 2 balls card).

There are 2 new game options for this: maxNrOfCards (default: 0) determines if and how many cards may be bought for inducement money and freeCardCash (default: 0) gives the league commissioner a way to hand out free gold specifically for card buying (so both sides may always start with cards).

Personal Note:
I will be on holidays starting with the upcoming weekend so it will be quiet on the FFB front for a while. Work continues in September with coding and testing the DB migration...