SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic - MTG Players, I need your input! (Android App)

Posted: May 19 2011 11:12 am

I have been learning how to make Android Apps, and so for my 1st "big" project, I decided to make an app that I would use.

So, I am working on a Magic app that would be something handy for players.

So, far it has a realtime health/poison tracker. A rules page to quick reference keyword abilities, and links to a mobile card lookup site, and a link to the official Wizards current rules page. I have designed it, so that no matter what page you are on, or even if you use one of the web links, you can go back to the play screen and you're life info will still be there. (It will not save the info if you close the app, and reload it, however.)

Is this something useful to more people than myself? Are there already too many of these out there? (The humorous thing is, I don't even own an android phone. I just decided to start this as a programming experience.)

What other features should it have?

And, most importantly, would this be better as a free App, or would $1.00 / 0.99 be a fair price for it?

Thanks guys!

Some screenshots of it in action running on my developer's emulator:
(Please, keep in mind this is the unfinished alpha build, and I still need to do some spacing corrections as well as clean up in the design.)

UsaSatsui's Youtube Channel · Posted: May 19 2011 11:44 am

It's interesting. A few comments -

Don't call it "Apprentice". That name is taken.

Give it the ability to track an opponent's life as well.

The ability to search for cards is great, as is a link to the rules. A keyword glossary is less so, 99% of players know what most keywords do 99% of the time, and in that corner case the glossary won't help. Links to them of course wouldn't hurt, but the two most important things you would to have easy access to are the Comprehensive Rules and the Gatherer Card Database (or a site where those two things are up to date).

I'd use different images, those might get one into a little trouble at a tournament.

I don't own a smartphone, so I don't know if I'd pay a buck for it. Probably.

Posted: May 19 2011 12:33 pm

Yeah... I know the pics will have to change before release. They are mainly placeholders. For the general public, I think PG artwork would be better than PG-13 artwork.

I'll just have to find some artists, or some free-license fantasy artwork for the final build.

I figured that the Keywords would be helpful to newer players. Say, they are playing a round of causal and then someone else plays a card with "Madness", they'll be like "WTF is that?" Then, BAM, they can quickly look it up.

UsaSatsui's Youtube Channel · Posted: May 19 2011 01:03 pm

Newer players probably won't use the ap, honestly.

Also, reminder text on the cards themselves will tell you what most of the keywords do (all of the Madness cards have reminder text, for example). Where people would run into trouble is in a situation where exactly how madness worked would be useful (in the Comp Rules), or maybe a specific question or ruling about a card (which could usually be found in Gatherer).

I'm not saying not to include it, I mean, it couldn't hurt. It's just not something I'd have as a priority.

Here's an idea (which you may have to charge for), if you could find a judge willing to answer rules questions, you could have an option to zip the question to them, and they could respond with an answer. Good luck with that, though.

Posted: May 19 2011 03:02 pm

Yeah, I would be better off linking to Wizard's "Rules FAQs and Articles" page.

I was thinking that under the "Rules FAQ" button in picture 3, I would put a collection of the most common rules issues.

Thanks for the input! Keep it coming.

Posted: May 20 2011 10:08 am

Here's a preview with PG artwork. (Still not final, since I need to find free license art. Maybe I'll have to hit up Deviantart, and ask to use pieces from artists.

Also, I have renamed the app to "MTG Assistant". At least, for now.