magarena/release/README.txt

Magarena 
========
Homepage: http://magarena.googlecode.com
Forum: http://www.slightlymagic.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=82

Requirements: Java Runtime 6 (http://java.com) must be installed on your computer

Starting Magarena:
  On Windows, double click on Magarena.exe
  On Linux, execute ./Magarena.sh. 
  On Mac, run Magarena.command

Magarena supports the following keyboard shortcuts :
  Space or Right key : action button
  Escape or Left key : undo button
  Enter key : switch between graphical and text mode
  F1 or M key : show or hide game messages

Selecting the AI to play against:
  The desired AI can be selected in the "New duel" dialog (Arena -> New duel).

  Default is minimax. AI difficulty level for the best balance of speed and
  strength is the default 6.

  The Monte Carlo AI spends at most N seconds to consider each move, where N is
  the AI difficulty level. It is the strongest AI available, however it cheats
  as it has knowledge of all cards in the game.

  The Vegas AI should be fast on all difficulty levels. 

Thanks to
  ubeefx for creating such a great game
  epiko for creating the Magarena logo and the amazing color themes
  Salasnet for the felt theme and pedro1973 for the dark battle theme
  singularita for creating the scripts to add over 300 additional creature cards
  LSK, Kuno, David, and Grundomu for contributing custom decks
  pedro1973 for creating new themes, see http://www.slightlymagic.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=89
  mtgrares for the publicity
  Goblin Hero for providing the images for some of the symbols
  Melvin Zhang for implementing the Monte Carlo Tree Search AI and general code cleanup/bug fixes
  IanGrainger for contributing a patch to allow text search in the Card Explorer
  Rachel for making it possible to cancel image download and fixing incorrect images
  beholder for implementing new cards and general usability improvements
  johncpatterson for helping to test the Mac startup script
  everyone on the CCGHQ forum (http://slightlymagic.net/forum/)

Thank you for your support and have fun!

Release 1865 (September QQQ, 2011)
============
- added the following cards:

- improved the resolution of some token images
- added support for "whenever player gain life" trigger
- improved crash handling to handle unhandled exception from any part of the
  program

- fixed a bug where the "When Targeted" trigger does not activate for
  spells with kicker
- fixed a bug where Noble Hierarch could not be tapped for mana because of a
  typo in the name of the class that implements the mana abilities

Release 1.17b (August 27, 2011)
=============
This is a bug fix release.

- added the following cards:
  Dark Favor
  Deathmark
  Demystify
  Devouring Swarm
  Disentomb
  Raise Dead
  Divine Favor
  Drifting Shade
  Dungrove Elder
  Fiery Hellhound
  Flight
  Fog
  Angel's Mercy
  Gideon's Avenger
  Gladecover Scout
  Goblin Arsonist
  Goblin Fireslinger
  Goblin Tunneler
  Gravedigger
  Greatsword
  Griffin Rider
  Guardians' Pledge
  Hideous Visage
  Kite Shield
  Lava Axe
  Lord of the Unreal
  Manalith
  Manic Vandal
  Mesa Enchantress
  Mind Rot
  Peregrine Griffin
  Pride Guardian
  Reclaim
  (978 cards in total)

- added a crash log to the game, it is stored in the Magarena data folder
  along with the game.cfg and tournament.cfg files. 

- fixed an issue where the game would crash when trying to play sound effects
- fixed bug with Sun Titan's ability to return, previously could return
  spell cards 

Release 1.17 (August 26, 2011)
============
brought to you by beholder and melvin

- added Modern cube (855 cards)
- added the following cards:
  Act of Treason
  AEther Adept (Æther Adept)
  Alluring Siren
  Amphin Cutthroat
  Arbalest Elite
  Armored Warhorse
  Auramancer
  Aven Fleetwing
  Belltower Sphinx
  Benalish Veteran
  Blood Seeker
  Bonebreaker Giant
  Brindle Boar
  Call to the Grave
  Cancel
  Cemetery Reaper
  Chandra's Outrage
  Chasm Drake
  Death Baron
  Frost Titan
  Gideon's Lawkeeper
  Honor of the Pure
  Kederekt Parasite
  Liliana's Caress
  Sangromancer
  Spiteful Visions
  Underworld Dreams
  (945 cards in total)

- changed some game messages to use the player's name instead of "you"
- added option for themes to choose whether to use colored border or overlay to highlight usable cards
  (all themes use colored overlay to highlight cards, except the standard felt theme)
- delay for items on the stack to resolve (used when ...) is now configurable
  from the Preferences menu
- added an About menu
- Mac and Linux launch scripts (Magarena.command and Magarena.sh) now works
  when invoked from any location, previously they assume that Magarena.exe is
  on the path.
- added text search to Card explorer
- enabled AI to make use of abilities that can be activated multiple times
  more effectively

- fixed image for Raging Kavu, was using the Latin version
  (select Arena -> Download images to download the correct card image for
   Raging Kavu and other missing card images)
- fixed wording of Lightning Helix's effect, it refers to Lightning
  Bolt instead of Lightning Helix
- fixed problem with shuffle into library effect in the situation where the
  new card to be shuffled in ends up at the top of the library again
- fixed problem where card image may be missing due to issue with image caching
- fixed problem where duels with more than 40 cards are not loaded correctly

Release 1.16b (July 27, 2011)
=============
This is a bug fix release.

- deck strength viewer is back due to popular demand, moved PLAY button next
  to NEW button to make space for it on netbook resolution
- fixed color of normal selection to green and combat selection to red
- fixed a GUI crash bug
- fixed a bug where the game logic thread would get stuck on non-Linux systems
- implemented a better way to increase responsiveness of the GUI by decreasing
  the priority of the game logic thread

Release 1.16 (July 25, 2011)
============
- 918 cards in total
- added ubeefx cube (617 cards)

- added Mutavault
- added Sun Titan

- fixed: unresponsive GUI, especially when playing against monte carlo AI
- fixed: several crash bugs in monte carlo AI (crash free in more than 100,000 self play games)
- fixed issue 31: previous blocking choices are not cleared if player redo the blocking phase
- fixed issue 28: AI getting stuck when there are many creatures on the battlefield,
  needs more testing

- added variant of minimax that cheats 
- popup card info no longer disappears when the phase changes
- do not auto pass priority when AI blocks your attackers
- increased delay when auto passing priority with item on stack to 2s
- selectable cards are now highlighted with a colored border instead of an overlay
- removed GUI deck strength viewer as it could take a long time to run
- added four more custom decks 
    decks/DL_Burn.dec
    decks/Grundomu_Death_and_Rebirth.dec 
    decks/Grundomu_Knights_Everywhere.dec 
    decks/Kuno_RUw_Aggro_Control.dec

Release 1.15 (June 20, 2011)
============
- 916 cards in total
- added standard cube (303 cards)
- added extended cube (557 cards)
- added legacy cube (915 cards, all except Skullclamp)

- added Tectonic Edge
- added Flashfreeze
- added Pyroclasm
- added Tumble Magnet
- added Inkmoth Nexus
- added Spell Pierce
- added Sphere of the Suns
- added Celestial Purge
- added Mox Opal
- added Signal Pest
- added Negate
- added Mark of Mutiny
- added Explore
- added Nature's Claim

- reduce the number of passes needed if you have the skip single option
  preference enabled (item on the stack is shown for 1s before resolving)
- changed default height and width of the application window to be 1024x600
- use symbols drawn by Goblin Hero
- fixed Vines of Vastwood so that if you target an opponent's creature, the
  opponent cannot target the creature (previously Vines of Vastwood prevents
  the opponent of the controller of the creature from targeting it)
- fixed implementation of first strike, so that triggers may occur after
  dealing first strike damage and before regular damage is dealt (fixes issue
  11: "Double Strike creature that leaves play after first strike still deals
  regular damage (Dread bug)")
- state-based actions are carried out simultaneously instead of one permanent
  at a time (fixes issue 7: "Problem in interaction between 704.3/704.5g and
  613.4")
- fixed card pic for spirit token
- added cancel button to download images dialog, now it is possible to stop
  downloading
- add this README.txt to the game's help menu
- added caching to Monte Carlo Tree Search AI so that simulations performed
  for one decision can be reused when computing the next decision
- evaluated the AIs with different parameters, results available at
  http://code.google.com/p/magarena/wiki/AIStrength

Release 1.14 (May 28, 2011)
============
- 601 cards in default cube
- 901 cards in all cube (includes those in default)

- added Naya Hushblade (Alara Reborn, Common)

- restored ability to download card images from the WWW
- fixed bug with protection from monocolored and land that become creatures
- fixed bug with "as long as you control another multicolored permanent" and
  land that become creatures
- enhanced error handling by printing error messages to stderr when an exception occurs
- renamed "can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control"
  to hexproof
- by default all card images shown at 312x445 for consistency, can be changed
  via option in preference menu to show original image size
- filter legal targets off by default as it is confusing to new users
- no need to restart after downloading images
- added hexproof to list of keywords [1.14a]
- added missing sounds folder [1.14a]

Release LE 1.13 (April 24, 2011)
===============

- default cube (600 cards)
- all cube (900 cards)

- added sound effects, disabled by default, can be enabled in preferences
- right mouse click on hand zone can now be used as a shortcut for action button
- infect and wither abilities are also shown on cards with same icon as deathtouch

Release LE 1.12 (April 17, 2011)
===============

- default cube (567 cards)
- all cube (888 cards)

- modified game to work with a premade Magarena data folder
- added selectable avatar sets in preferences, separate from theme
- added unlimited undo support 
- added "Reset game" in menu, undoing all moves
- added M key as an additional shortcut for messages

Release 1.11 (April 11, 2011)
============

- default cube (555 cards)
- all cube (876 cards)

- renamed the two standard cubes to default and all
- improved displaying of messages with scroll bar and toggle button + F1 shortcut to show or hide messages
- improved mana cost images (if already installed, delete symbols folder in Magarena data folder and load images)
- improved card definition files, they now also contain the image URL and cube information
- improved scoring for unnecessary equipping
- three new AI implementations are available next to the default minimax AI : Monte Carlo, Vegas and Random
- the preferred AI can be selected in preferences, the deck strength calculator always uses minimax AI
- added New and Load Duel buttons on startup screen
- added option to select a random deck from decks folder in New Duel dialog (folder icon)

- fixed Lightning Helix, it can now target your own permanents with filter legal targets enabled

Release 1.10 (April 1, 2011)
============

- ubeefx cube (544 cards)
- singularita cube (865 cards)

- redesigned card image loading (low quality images are no longer needed)
- high quality random card at startup if enabled in settings

Release 1.9 (March 22, 2011)
===========

- ubeefx cube (542 cards)
- singularita cube (862 cards)

- if a folder Magarena is present in the same folder as where Magarena is started, that is used as the Magarena data folder
- added extra settings to themes (see customizing Wiki page)
- added support for infect keyword and poison counters

- fixed Solemn Offering, it can now target your own permanents with filter legal targets enabled
- fixed handling of invalid avatars

Release 1.8 (March 13, 2011)
===========

- ubeefx cube (530 cards)
- singularita cube (850 cards)

- improved deck generator
- added option to play with monocolored generated decks
- changed function of Life + slider in difficulty settings so that it gives extra life to computer for added difficulty

- fixed must attack if able when power is zero or lower
- fixed apostrophes in Keywords screen

Release 1.7 (January 14, 2011)
===========

- 8 new cards (512 total)

- new splash screen and small UI tweaks
- added mana info for lands in hand and on battlefield
- added Enter as hotkey to switch between image and text mode
- added support for user made UI themes that can be downloaded separately
- added support for user defined card cubes next to the default cube

- fixed Pongify, it can now target your own permanents with filter legal targets enabled

Release 1.6 (January 2, 2011)
===========

- 4 new cards (504 total)

- mana cost, power & toughness and some abilities on cards in hand are now displayed in graphical view
- card drawing is now optional for Snake Umbra and Mask of Memory
- added support for intimidate and battle cry keywords

- fixed how deathtouch was handled causing a number of issues
- fixed endless loop in custom card shuffler for decks with a lot of CMC > 4 cards
- fixed Into the Roil, it can now target your own permanents with filter legal targets enabled

Release 1.5 (December 28, 2010)
===========

- 5 new cards (500 total)

- added random card to the startup screen

Release 1.4 (December 26, 2010)
===========

- 5 new cards (495 total)

- added light wood skin
- improved display of valid choices
- improved AI destroy and exile target pickers

- fixed Omnibian ability on level up creatures

Release 1.3 (December 24, 2010)
===========
 
- 15 new cards (490 total)
- replaced Elite Vanguard with Steppe Lynx
- replaced Curse of Chains with Narcolepsy

- added Magarena icon to application frame
- added keyboard shortcuts for action button : space or right key
- added keyboard shortcuts for undo button : escape or left key
- increased maximum difficulty level to 8 (default is 6)
- configurable number of games and difficulty level for deck strength calculator
- configurable card image popup delay in preferences (0 - 500 ms)
- configurable high quality transparent card image popups (turned off by default)
- improved display of stack in graphical view
- zoom effect on photo gadget is now delayed
- added support for sub folders in images data folder

- fixed triggered ability of Archon of Justice when discarding

Release 1.2 (December 18, 2010)
===========

- 25 new cards (475 total)
- replaced Disperse with Into the Roil 
- replaced Gruul War Plow with Chimeric Mass

- support for loading and saving decks to an editable text format in decks folder
- disabled deck editing when duel is in progress
- added two and three color wild cards to new duel dialog
- charge counters are now displayed with amount in graphical view
- added tooltips for small icon buttons

- fixed aura or equipment that stays attached when creature has protection
- fixed sacrifice or exile at and end of turn not always triggering (Rakdos Guildmage)
- fixed self targeting of spells on stack (counters)
- fixed wrong multiple target behavior (Char and Goblin Artillery)
- fixed converted mana cost for X spells on stack (Draining Whelk)
- fixed triggered ability for multiple activations of Raging Ravine

Release 1.1 (December 7, 2010)
===========

- new splash screen
- display of version information on startup
- improved download images dialog with proxy support
- support for two color decks
- support for replacing cards in decks with edit button that shows the card explorer
- added Unhinged basic lands as alternate images for basic lands
- icons for summoning sickness, flying, first & double strike, trample and deathtouch in graphical view
- viewers for exile zone

- fixed summoning sickness rule
- fixed Spider Umbra aura

Release 1.0 (November 25, 2010)
===========

- initial release (450 cards)