Re: I just posted a new version of Lackey, build date 05-14-11. Post bugs here.

[Trevor]

I fixed some bugs (and possibly introduced a few minor ones) and added a lot of new functionality.

There is now the option of adding vectors to cards. These are arrows you can put on a card to indicate its direction.

You can now toggle Hidden Play mode on and off. While in Hidden Play mode, all cards you control are invisible to an opponent. Do what you want to do secretly (with no log messages) and then turn Hidden Play mode off. You're opponent will be notified that you were in hidden play more though, so no cheating.

Cards placed on top of each other are now done so in an elevated way. And if the cards underneath are still obscured, they have a little diagonal line at their bottom left corner. That way, you won't accidently lose a card under other cards.

You can now increase the size of items on the table independent from the zoom. While holding down the command key, the scroll wheel will increase and decrease this scale. I will be adding other GUI ways to do this too.

I tried to make the plugin finder a lot more intuitive. It will automatically fetch the latest list of plugins and their info (if you have that option checked). It will download a fresh list if your old version is a day or more older.

FOR PLUGIN MAKERS:..........................
Plugin makers can now make a starting place of cards. For example, lets say you have a chess plugin. You could make a file that defines that each player starts with all his pieces on the board, arranged how you would expect. Making one of these files is simple. Set things to how you want them and save a game. Open the save game file and find where is says the specific names. For example, <name>Trevor</name>. Batch replace the first player's name with PLAYER0, and batch replace the second players name with PLAYER1. Then rename the save game file "start.txt". Whenever a player starts a new game with the Start New Game from the main menu, your loaded initial setup is loaded.

plugininfo now lets you define a way to scale the size of items on the table, by doing something like:
TABLEITEMSCALE:".5"
That means the images will look 50% bigger. This is the same kind of thing as the new table item scale.

You can make it so a card's name is visible to its owner if it has an alternate image for its back.
MULTIPLECARDBACKSNAMESVISIBLETO:"owner"




IF YOU HAVE AN ERROR UPDATING USING THE UPDATER:
Download from the downloads page and get the new LackeyCCG.exe from the zip you downloaded, and put it in your old Lackey folder. Also, report that the LackeyCCG Updater.exe didn't work.

I added a bunch of things to help diagnose that elusive networking bug that occasionally happens. Next time it occurs, I should be able to figure out why, and fix it for good.

I'll post more later as I think of more things to mention.

[Trevor]

I just noticed 2 minor bugs:

When you make a new game, you need to manually sit down into a seat.

When you are using the deck editor, the up and down arrow keys input on both key up and key down, when they should only input on key down, thus making it appear as though you are hitting the key twice.

I expect a number if minor bugs like that to pop up, and I need reports from you folks to fix them. I will fix them as I find them and post a new version soon.

[Trevor]

I added a bunch of stuff for board game support. The first 2 board games implemented are chess and stratego.
http://www.lackeyccg.com/forum/index.php?topic=1052.0
http://www.lackeyccg.com/forum/index.php?topic=1051.0
I will be expanding greatly upon the power of what plugin makers can do with Lackey. Its a cool thing where after I make a certain number of new functions, I reach a critical mass and suddenly any table top game (be it card, board, or miniature) suddenly works and works well. Keep the feedback coming and I will keep working on things.

[Saethori]

The upgrades made in this Lackey version are fantastic! I can already imagine some of them can be used in many games.

A problem I've noticed so far is that, when using the Table Marking tool through the menu, it does not deactivate normally. After making a mark or an arrow, it stays in Marking Mode, and the only way to disable it is to hit Space Bar. While I can understand the value of doing multiple markings rapidly, there should be a way to make it a bit more user-friendly, such as changing the "cancel marking" control to Right-Click (which otherwise does nothing during this mode), or perhaps a Setting that allows users to toggle between whether Marking Mode auto-cancels or not. A way to clear specific markings by right-clicking on them would also come in handy.

For Card Vectors (which could be used for a lot more than just designating direction, as it could also be used to point out targets of effects in TCGs easily), a way to color-code them as based on a player's profile color (just as Markings are) would probably come in handy. Simply coloring the gray border and leaving it empty inside would allow it to remain distinguished from Table Markings. A way to clear Vectors from a card without also clearing counters would be useful. (Perhaps split Clear into two commands?)

I can't seem to use the card zoom function. Everything I try involving the mouse wheel only zooms the view, does nothing to individual cards. Maybe it has to do with key registration... you said it works by "Command + Mouse Wheel", but that would make it Mac only, no?

...And finally, though completely and utterly unrelated to the new additions of this plugin, a "place under" modifier for card movement could be useful. Right now both Alt and Shift (along with drag-n'-drop) are both Place Sideways... perhaps one of those could be co-opted for a modifier that places the relevant card underneath cards it's dragged over, instead of on top. (Useful for multiple TCGs, such as Energy in Pokemon, Auras in M:tG, Attach Abilities in WoW, etc.)

[AdLit]

trevor, awesome work as always. 

One small issue, and one question.

The plugin updater used to work where 1 click would pop up the menu, and you could look for the plugin you want, and a second click selects it.  Currently, you need to keep your mouse depressed, move to the plugin you want, and release the button on your selection.  Not a major issue, but a little cumbersome.

My question is in regards to the custom plugin list updater.  How does this work?  I see it will update based upon whatever link you currently have on your clipboard, but what does it do with that link?  I'm not sure how the function is used.

[Picks-at-Flies]

The updater failure just happened to me and I have a theory that might help:  the exe file left in the Lackey folder after update is the same size as the compressed file (or almost the same;  I confess I didn't check as closely as I should have).  I wonder if it's getting decompression sickness.   

[Knighthawk]

Just thought I'd let you know that the lackey updater worked for me this time. (Since I seem to keep having to ask for help with it. lol)

Thanks Trevor!

[Trevor]

trevor, awesome work as always. 

One small issue, and one question.

The plugin updater used to work where 1 click would pop up the menu, and you could look for the plugin you want, and a second click selects it.  Currently, you need to keep your mouse depressed, move to the plugin you want, and release the button on your selection.  Not a major issue, but a little cumbersome.

My question is in regards to the custom plugin list updater.  How does this work?  I see it will update based upon whatever link you currently have on your clipboard, but what does it do with that link?  I'm not sure how the function is used.

I will look into the menu quirkiness.

The advanced option takes uses the pluginfinder URL you have in your clipboard. It used be you manually enter it, but I thought people would be confused between the pluginfinder URL and the autoupdate URLs, so I tried to hide the pluginfinder's URL. In reality, clicking the "Find plugins with Plugin Finder" does exactly the same thing as having "http://lackeyccg.com/pluginfinder.txt" in your clipboard and hitting the "Find plugins with custom plugin finder (advanced)" button. I maintain a URL for people to use, which is the default one you can see, but if someone else wants to maintain a list, you can use their list too.

btw, if anyone has a plugin to add, let me know and I will add it to the list.

[Trevor]

New version is out:
Post about it here: http://www.lackeyccg.com/forum/index.php?topic=1057.0