Programming Shock

Many cards and abilities are similar to Shock. In case you can’t remember, Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player. First, Shock has to be added to the cards.txt file. Cards.txt holds all of the text that the card displays as well as the mana cost.

Shock
R
Instant
Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

The resolve method checks to see if the card is still in play, something that we take for granted in a real-life game. SpellAbility only allows for 1 target to be set, either a card or a player by the setTargetPlayer(String player) and setTargetCard(Card) methods. To get the target you call either getTargetPlayer or getTargetCard. The SpellAbiliy method setBeforePayMana(Input), lets the user actually choose the target card or player. CardFactoryUtil has a bunch of reusable Input classes that gets a user choice. If the spell just targeted a creature you would use CardFactoryUtil.input_targetCreature.

SpellAbility canPlayAI method returns false if you do not want the computer to play this spell. A very simple AI for Shock is below. canPlayAI is called first, and if it returns true, then chooseTargetAI is called. chooseTargetAI sets the target for the spell by either calling setTargetCard(Card) or setTargetPlayer(String player). Some cards like Wrath of God do not have a chooseTargetAI method, because no targets are needed.

This checks to see that the human player (you) have at least 1 creature in play and sets that creature as the target. A more sophisticated AI would try to get the best creature that Shock could kill, like a 2/2 flyer. The AI could also see if you had low life, and could alternately target you instead of a creature. The regular AI for Shock tries to kill a creature with flying or you if your life is low.

//simple AI for Shock
//should be put in a SpellAbility object
public boolean canPlayAI()
{
  CardList list = CardFactoryUtil.AI_getHumanCreature();
  return 0 < list.size();
}
public void chooseTargetAI()
{
  CardList list = CardFactoryUtil.AI_getHumanCreature();
  setTargetCard(list.get(0));
}

//Complete card
final Card card = new Card();
card.setName(“Shock”);
card.setManaCost("R");
card.setOwner(Constant.Player.Human);
card.setController(Constant.Player.Human);

final SpellAbility spell = new Spell(card)
{
  int damage = 2;
 
  public boolean canPlayAI() {return false;}
 
  public void resolve()
  {
    if(getTargetCard() != null)
    {
      if(AllZone.GameAction.isCardInPlay(getTargetCard()))
      {
        Card c = getTargetCard();
        c.addDamage(damage);
      }
    }
    else
      AllZone.GameAction.getPlayerLife(getTargetPlayer()).subtractLife(damage);
  }//resolve()
};//SpellAbility
card.addSpellAbility(spell);
spell.setBeforePayMana(CardFactoryUtil.input_targetCreaturePlayer(spell));

//Shock as it would be in CardFactory
if(cardName.equals("Shock"))
{
  final SpellAbility spell = new Spell(card)
  {
  //same stuff
  };//SpellAbility

  //this is cleared because a card is presumed to be a permanent
  //all Sorceries and Instants have to call card.clearSpellAbility()
  card.clearSpellAbility();
  card.addSpellAbility(spell);

  spell.setBeforePayMana(CardFactoryUtil.input_targetCreaturePlayer(spell));
}