Hidden Cards?

[RoyMaster4]

I'm wondering if it's possible to add cards that are hidden from the general public outside of the data files (that is, don't appear on the deck editor list), yet are still able to be used like any other card if you manage to get it into your deck (say by manually editing the .dek file in a text editor).

2 examples of potential usage:
- Beta testing. If I want to test new cards for balancing purposes but don't want everyone using them, rather only developers. I could upload the whole plugin folder rather than use the updatelist, but then it's difficult to manage people with the beta playing against those without the beta in case old cards are changed.
- Boss battle types. Say I want to have something similar to the archenemy archetype in Magic, but don't want the archenemy-specific cards to show up in the normal deck editor as they conflict with the normal playstyle and can confuse players.

I can't find a way to do this... any card that shows up in the carddata file shows up in the deck editor, and people can't download the image unless it's in the carddata (otherwise there is no imagefile parameter).

[Trevor]

I'm wondering if it's possible to add cards that are hidden from the general public outside of the data files (that is, don't appear on the deck editor list), yet are still able to be used like any other card if you manage to get it into your deck (say by manually editing the .dek file in a text editor).

2 examples of potential usage:
- Beta testing. If I want to test new cards for balancing purposes but don't want everyone using them, rather only developers. I could upload the whole plugin folder rather than use the updatelist, but then it's difficult to manage people with the beta playing against those without the beta in case old cards are changed.
- Boss battle types. Say I want to have something similar to the archenemy archetype in Magic, but don't want the archenemy-specific cards to show up in the normal deck editor as they conflict with the normal playstyle and can confuse players.

I can't find a way to do this... any card that shows up in the carddata file shows up in the deck editor, and people can't download the image unless it's in the carddata (otherwise there is no imagefile parameter).

There's a number of things you can do.
First, if your purpose is to have an alternate plugin for beta testers, you should instead use ListOfCardDataFiles.txt and just give developers an additional 2nd card data file. You can even mention it in the public ListOfCardDataFiles.txt, but only actually GIVE it to the beta testers. Mentioning it in ListOfCardDataFiles.txt will just make Lackey try to load it, and if it doesn't find it, it benignly just loads the other card data file alone.

If you're distributing the card info, people can see the card. Even if lackey didn't list it in the card list, people could still look at the card data file directly.

To completely not have a card appear in the deck editor list, you can make it a token, but it would then appear with the tokens.

You can use a format filter to hide alternate card types in the deck editor.

[RoyMaster4]

Hm, I think the format filter might be just what I need. Can I set it to default to a certain format rather than 'Any'?

[Trevor]

Hm, I think the format filter might be just what I need. Can I set it to default to a certain format rather than 'Any'?

Lackey remembers what filter you choose, but if you define ANY filters, it actually defaults to the first filter you define, rather than the all-inclusive "All cards". This was a design choice that I'm still not sure of. I initially did it so people would be first shown the "main format" filter of the plugin, and not be overwhelmed by EVERY SINGLE CARD. However, a few people don't realize there is even such a thing as format filters and ask me "why can't I see card X in the card list?".

[RoyMaster4]

Lackey remembers what filter you choose, but if you define ANY filters, it actually defaults to the first filter you define, rather than the all-inclusive "All cards". This was a design choice that I'm still not sure of. I initially did it so people would be first shown the "main format" filter of the plugin, and not be overwhelmed by EVERY SINGLE CARD. However, a few people don't realize there is even such a thing as format filters and ask me "why can't I see card X in the card list?".

But that's not what happened when I downloaded the Pokemon and Magic plugins, it defaulted to all formats rather than the first one. Is there another parameter that needs to be set? Or does it save one format setting and applies it to all plugins?