Table of contents
1. Getting started
1.1. System Requirements
1.1.1. Mhz?
1.1.2. How much RAM?
1.1.3. How much disk?
1.1.4. Bandwidth?
1.2. Graphics Setup
1.2.1. What is recommended resolution?
1.2.2. I don’t see what i am typing?
1.2.3. How do i set full screen mode?
1.2.4. I can't resize the window?
1.3. First steps
1.3.1. I am logged in! What to do?
1.3.2. I don't want to be a rat!
1.3.3. Some people have text under their /whois info?
1.4. Mouse and keyboard
1.4.1. Sometimes chat line editing keys stops working while playing.
1.4.2. I don't have right mouse button.
1.4.3. I don't have middle mouse button.
2. Client in general
2.1. Account
2.1.1. What is my password?
2.1.2. I am going to reinstall my OS or switch computers. What to do?
2.1.3. I lost my password.
2.1.4. How do i change my nick name?
2.2. Economy
2.2.1. Do i have to pay real money?
2.2.2. What's all this money stuff good for anyway? I just want to play!
2.2.3. I'm out of money! How do I get more?
2.3. Collecting
2.3.1. Why there aren't any fixed packs?
2.3.2. How can i buy promotional/special cards?
2.4. Sorting and filtering the collection
2.4.1. How do i show cards i own?
2.5. Trading
2.5.1. How do I put cards on my have list?
2.5.2. My have-list is still empty?
2.6. Selling
2.6.1. How do i set a price for my card?
2.6.2. When i sell a card, my prices is always higher than others.
2.7. Decks
2.7.1. How do i use proxies?
2.7.2. I exported a deck but i can't find it?
2.7.3. How do i import an existing deck?
2.8. Playing
2.8.1. Can i play sealed deck games?
2.8.2. How do i attach cards together?
2.9. Tricks and Tips
2.9.1. How can i restore collection default view?
3. Mtg
3.1. Playing
3.1.1. How can i alter my life points?
3.1.2. I try to say a number, but my life changes? That sucks.
3.2. Specific cards
3.2.1. Cursed Scroll.
3.2.2. Hymn to Tourach.
3.2.3. Goblin Game.
3.2.4. Future Sight.
3.2.5. Summoner's Egg.
3.2.6. Parallel Thoughts.
3.2.7. Shahrazad.
3.2.8. Double faced cards.
3.2.9. Miracle cards.
4. Metw
4.1. General
4.1.1. Balrog boosters?
4.1.2. Rarity distributon of Balrog boosters?
4.2. Decks
4.2.1. How to build 2 different hazard decks?
4.3. Playing
4.3.1. Deck exhausted, what to do?
4.3.2. Can i play solitaire?
4.4. Specific cards
4.4.1. Aware of their Ways.
4.4.2. Barrow-blade.
4.4.3. Goblin Faces.
4.4.4. Secret News.
4.4.5. Long Dark Reach.
5. Server
5.1. Using server stuff
5.1.1. My table does not connect to my local server.
5.2. How do i add a table?
6. Contributing
6.1. Graphics
6.1.1. Can i make a custom avatar?
6.1.2. What are specifications for avatar images?
Frequently Asked Questions
GCCG is not very demanding on a processor. 300MHz systems have yielded playable results, so basically any machine you can get in this day and age will work.
Basically, the more the better. 256MB should be enough for basic usage, but viewing more cards and setting more and more search filters will cause RAM usage to creep upward, possibly even exceeding 1GB if you continue at it for long enough. If memory consumption is a problem, it can be stopped in non-Windows versions by limiting the maximum amount of RAM available to the application (see man ulimit).
It depends on the card game and the experience you want. It is possible to play without downloading card images, in which case the disk space footprint will be negligible, around 20MB. If you download card images to go with the game, that load increases significantly: pictures of all METW cards run about 350MB, while the MTG card gallery takes twice as much space. Still, disk space is cheap nowadays and this isn't likely to be a problem.
GCCG does not need much bandwidth. Even a dial-up connection can play without significant slowdown. However, at login time and after a game is completed, you may experience a case of lag in that case since the server has to send a significant amount of data describing which players and tables are available in the lobby.
1024x768 is the default resolution, and the resolution assumed by the table servers for most games. Using a larger design resolution may result in cards being placed such that opponents can't see them. See also 1.2.4.
Your GCCG window is too big for your screen. Change your resolution, drag the window upwards, use full screen mode, or type /set input top. This last command moves the input bar to the top of the screen, where you might be able to see it more clearly.
Windows: edit the batch file (Game.bat) which launches your game of choice and replace
the line
ccg_client.exe --user %USER% %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 game.xml
with
ccg_client.exe --full --user %USER% %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 game.xml
Other systems: launch the client using
./Game --full
Note: The Linux SDL bindings allow fullscreen mode to be toggled
by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F, but other systems don't have this shortcut.
Note: In windows, you can go back from the full screen mode using Alt+Tab.
There are two methods of resizing the window: the geometry resolution and the design resolution. Setting a geometry resolution, such as with --geometry 1280x720, will stretch out the window and everything that's placed on it. For example, if the lobby has enough space to fit 28 avatars or 7 table icons in a row at the default 1024x768 resolution, it will still hold those same numbers of objects, but each of them will be stretched horizontally and slightly compressed vertically.
Alternatively, if you change the design resolution, such as with --design 2048x1536, it stretches out the window canvas while leaving all objects the same size. In this case, the resized window would be enough to hold 56 avatars or 14 tables icons in a row. If you set both options at the same time, then everything will first be scaled in accordance with the geometry resolution, and then the window will be resized to match the design resolution.
When you've chosen which resolution you'd like to change, follow the instructions in 1.2.3., replacing the parameter --full with your desired resolution setting.
You can ask people on the server for help. If you don't want to show your inexperience (although some people will assume it anyway, based on the fact that you still have a rat for an avatar!), you can right click everything and try to figure out things from the context menus. Menu items will often include shortcut keys or commands, so you can more readily perform the action you want in the future.
Also, pressing F1 shows you a list of commands that are available. You can get more info about a given command using /help command.
Then you must change your avatar. Check the list of avatars from here.
You can set your own quote or short message using /set plan text to add.
The input line must be clear when using these during play.
Press Backspace until your input line is empty, or press Down to move to a new blank line.
Use /bind /eval MenuByContext() and then press a key. The key you choose can then be used in place of right clicks.
Use /bind /eval MouseMiddleClick() and press a key, similar to the previous instruction for right clicks. You can also use Alt+left click instead of middle clicking.
The client generates a random password for you when you register with the game at first. The server stores that password, and from then on your password must match the stored value or you won't be able to log in. (Passwords are designed to work automatically and be invisible to the player, but if you really want to know what your password is, check ~/.gccg/Game/password, or C:\.gccg\Game\password in Windows.)
Make a backup copy of your ~/.gccg directory (or C:\.gccg in Windows). It contains your passwords, decks, and other settings.
Ask an administrator to send the password file for you by email
and apologize that you didn't read the FAQ 2.1.2.
When you receive your password, drop that to your
~/.gccg/Game/password and launch the client.
(C:\.gccg\Game\password in Windows.)
Start a new account and ask an admin to remove your older account before you get caught and banned. ;)
No. It is purely imaginary. Everything is free of charge.
Don't worry, it is fully optional. You can add any card to your
deck, it will merely be considered a proxy. (Do know that once you
start the collecting it turns out addictive.)
a) You earn money by winning (or even when losing) games.
b) You earn even more money by playing games with a bet (see
$num markings on tables).
c) Sell your cards.
d) Collect all cards of a published set and register it.
All fixed decks are included (or are going to be included) as
sample decks for the game. This leaves you some collecting tasks
to fill missing cards for the sample decks.
You can't unless someone has one for sale. You earn one random
promotional/special card by playing a game without proxies.
Use
/select have>0
or actually /select have is enough, since have
evaluates to a positive number if you have one or more
cards. Check also if there is already a filter for "Sealed deck"
for the game in question (right click collection border, choose
"Select display..." and look for "Sealed deck").
Actually you don’t. The server generates it for you from two things:
1) All cards you have for sale are concidered also tradeable.
2) If you have more than trade_limit cards, all extras
are tradeable. Default trade_limit is 4 and can be
altered using the command
/set trade_limit n
where n is your new trade_limit.
The meta server saves bandwidth by reducing the list of potential
trades before sending the list to the client. All cards you don’t have
in your /want-list, are not sent to you. Now because of
selling and wanting are exclusive, you can’t see your cards for
sale in your /have-list. However, you can see the cards
you have more than your trade_limit and still want them.
Type in a number while mouse over the card and press enter.
You can change the default behaviour. Try /set price lower for
example. The possible values are lower, higher, same or default. See more information about the last value /help default.
Just put any unowned cards to the deck. A red number will appear next to them in the decklist if you don't have them. Servers will report how many proxies each player has at the beginning of the game, but most of the time, the other players won't care if you use a deck with proxies. (Except, of course, during sealed mode.)
Check C:\.gccg\Game\export (Windows) or ~/.gccg/Game/export/ (non-Windows).
Write a simple text file where you put line by line number of
each card and the card name. If your deck has more sections than
just a main deck, add section names without any preceding
number. You can check the examples in the directory
decks/Game/. When your deck is ready, put it to
your import directory which is at the same subtree as
your export directory (See
2.7.2.) After that you
can try importing it (Ctrl+I).
Tip: Don't copy any Gccg comment headers from the sample
decks. Without them, the client tries harder to resolve unrecognized card
names. Otherwise it assumes a Gccg-exported deck with precisely
correct card names.
Note: Gccg supports also other deck formats like NetMECCG and
Apprentice and those decks are importable without any modifications.
Yes, check out /help sealed.
To attach a card to another card, move the cursor over the card
you wish to attach. Then, hold down the Control key. While
holding the Control key, click and move the mouse as if you
were dragging the card until your cursor is over the second
card. Let go of the Control key.
Type /select with nothing after it, and you can cancel the current filter to return to the default.
You can set the life to the specified n by simply typing
n and pressing Enter. You can also increase it
by the specified amount by preceding the number with +
sign or decrease it by preceding with - sign.
Add one space before or after the number.
You name a card (Ctrl+middle click over the card and
press enter) and
shuffle your hand (Ctrl+S over your hand). Then
your opponent left clicks your hand to expand it to the full
size and chooses from the menu "Reveal card" over the chosen card.
Left click the opponent's hand to expand it to the full size and
shuffle it (Ctrl+S over the hand). Then select "Force
discard" twice over the selected cards.
Use /bid N to choose a number, changing N to your number of choice. Bids will remain hidden until all players have placed a bid, at which point the server will reveal them and you can determine the results.
Just reveal your deck (Ctrl+F over your deck). This reveals the top card, but does not expose any cards below it.
Play imprinted card face down (Ctrl+Shift+P, then attach it to Summoner's Egg.
Look at your deck (Ctrl+L) and set seven cards aside
(End). Then shuffle your library, right click on one of the cards set aside, and choose "Shuffle and put to the top of the deck", which will move the entire batch of 7 cards at once. Then move over the deck and press Ctrl+Shift+P 7 times to put those cards on the table face down. They should already be arranged so that there is a clear top of the pile, but if not, you can drag them around to put them in such an order.
Use /savegame to save a snapshot of the game as it is right now. Get rid of all cards except the ones in libraries, reset the starting life totals, and begin the subgame. When it's over, use /loadgame to restore the snapshot right where you left off.
These cards will show up with normal backs while they're in hand or deck, and can be played normally. If you need to flip one to the other side, simply use Ctrl+F or Ctrl+Shift+P while it's on the table to turn it face down. (It is still possible to play such cards face down from places other than the table, in which case the standard card back will show up. This allows you to keep them hidden for other purposes, such as the Parallel Thoughts case mentioned above.)
Also, if you hover over a double faced card with Ctrl+Shift pressed, instead of just Shift, the infozoom box will show you the other side of the card.
When you play a card from hand, all players can see which position it came from, and new cards are added to the end of your hand. So if a player just drew a card (giving them, for example, 6 cards in hand), and then they attempt to play a card as a miracle, the other players should check that it says "(6th card)" to verify that the play is legal. Note that if you attempt to move cards around in your hand, or shuffle your hand to make the new positions unclear, you have forfeited your right to use the miracle ability on any card that may be in your hand.
That was a design decision made by play testing team long time
ago. Two fixed decks aren't very collectable and randomized
boosters fits much better to Gccg collecting scheme.
Take two boxes and count each card. You get number of times that
card appear on a virtual "common" sheet.
You can simply make two versions of the same deck with different
hazard strategies. However, another method is to make actually 3
decks: one common part, one versus minion part, one versus hero
part. Just before play, use a command /newdeck play and
merge appropriate parts to the deck using "Add cards from another
deck..." option. This causes a little more work before a game, but
makes updating common part easier.
Hide the discard pile (Ctrl+F) if revealed.
Look at your discard pile (Ctrl+L) and press
Home key over all sites in your discard pile. Now select
up to 5 cards to put into the sideboard. Right click each of them
and select "Put to sideboard". Now close the discard viewer
(Esc) and look at your sideboard (left click or
Ctrl+L). Press Delete over each card you wish to
put into your deck. Finally, close the sideboard viewer and choose
"Shuffle to the deck" from the discard pile context menu. Don't
forget to reveal your discard pile again if it must be revealed.
NEW: Not really, but there is one little tool, which may help
you in one player game to simulate hazards. You can select hazard deck
(stored in scripts/Metw/*.hazards in Gccg-format) using command
/hazard. Without arguments it lists available hazards. You
can load one of them. Pressing Ctrl+Tab sets next card aside
from the top of the hazard deck. You can do with it whatever you want.
Opponent shuffles (Ctrl+S) his discard pile and then
sets aside (End key) top 4 cards from the discard
pile. Then he reveals (Ctrl+F) the cards set
aside. You choose one (ctrl+middle click and press
Enter). The chosen card is then removed from the
game and opponent discards (Delete) the rest.
In order to get the correct item score you can press Ctrl++ over the
Dagger of Westernesse and Ctrl+- over the
Barrow-blade.
Press End key over your opponent's deck to get cards
aside. Then play them one by one face down (menu). For each card tell
opponent wheter to put it to the top or to the bottom of the deck.
Opponent can then use Home to put a card to the top of the
deck and Ctrl+Home to put a card to the bottom of the
deck.
Left click your opponent's hand to expand it to the full
size. Shuffle it (Ctrl+S) and choose 5 times "Reveal
card" menu option over the chosen cards.
Set aside normally and play a creature if any.
Then choose "Shuffle and put to the top of the deck" from the menu
of cards set aside.
Add --server your.ip.here to your server launch command.
See instructions.
Yes. Create an image fulfilling the avatar specifications and drop it
to the directory graphics/avatar for testing. If it looks fine, send it
to the author who will include it to the next build of the client.
PNG-files 32x32, pure black (R,G,B = 0,0,0) is invisible. The
picture must not violate copyrights or good taste.