Topic: MTG Combinations Calculator

I've been learning computer programming over the last year, and one of my pet projects has been developing an MTG combo calculator. Basically it will let you enter in a combination of cards or parameters, and it'll tell you the likelihood of drawing that combo in X number of cards. For example, let's say you have 4 Royal Assassins, 3 Trip Nooses (Neese? Noosi?), and 2 Swiftfoot Boots' in your deck, and you want to know what the odds are that they'll all be in your opening hand. My calculator will give you those odds. You could also enter parameters like: what are the odds of drawing card X, with a card that has a converted mana cost of 3 or less, and 2 land cards. The number of cards will be variable too, so it will tell you the odds of getting that combo in 7 cards (opening hand), or 8 cards (your first draw), and so on. Right now it works with the csv file type that exports from deckbox, so you can build your deck here, export the file, and my program will read all the information from it.

The thing I love most about MTG are the combos, and the thing I really love about games in general is the meta element of crunching numbers to help make decisions. So I'm just wondering, would any one else be interested in using something like this? From the searches I've done, it doesn't seem like any of the online tools have this kind of functionality. Right now everything runs through a linux command line, and I have absolutely no user interface because to be honest I haven't learned that stuff yet. But if anyone thinks this might be useful I'd be willing to port it to windows and take a stab at an extremely basic GUI. Even better, does anyone have any suggestions on what features they might like to see?

Feel free to answer the poll, or just let me know what you think. Any input is much appreciated.

Re: MTG Combinations Calculator

I would love to see a web version

http://pwp.wizards.com/5101681338/Scorecards/Landscape.png

Re: MTG Combinations Calculator

something like wahts on tapped out click a deck click card odds and get

http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/brimstone-zoo/card-odds/

only one that works tongue

Last edited by Eliterawr (2014-02-26 22:45:12)

Re: MTG Combinations Calculator

I would love to see a web version

Yeah a web version would be ideal, but unfortunately the only language I know is C++. Once I get this thing up and running as a standalone program I'll take on a web-based language and see what I can do.

something like wahts on tapped out click a deck click card odds and get

That system is a fine example of what drove me to make this thing in the first place. Those odds really have nothing to do with anything. Those are the odds of drawing those cards in isolation, regardless of the hand, which is really misleading. The odds of drawing a Rift Bolt might be 39.9%, and the odds of drawing a lighting bolt might be the same, but that doesn't tell you anything about completing combos. The odds of drawing those cards in your opening hand are actually around 14.25%.... give or take, I'm still bug checking this thing. And I imagine there are some people that depend on combinations not only of specific cards, but specific conditions. Like what good is card X without some junk creature to sacrifice? Or what are the odds that I'll get a 1-drop, 2-drop, and 3-drop, along with 3 lands in my first 8 cards?

Thanks a lot for the input, I'm getting more ideas already.

Re: MTG Combinations Calculator

itd also be nice because u can then tweak ur deck to where u curve out or draw exactly what u need a majority of the time

Re: MTG Combinations Calculator

Man, I really hate to report this, but not only has this been done, it's been done as a web version!

Haha, at least I have something to use as a precedent now.

http://deckstats.net/

Either way, thanks for the input folks.

Edit: Actually at first glance that web app is wrong. They simply multiply the odds together, they don't actually use the equations necessary for genuine probability. My project continues!

Last edited by Eindacor_DS (2014-02-27 00:09:37)