More tables to play online

I had been receiving a lot of requests to increase the number of available tables in the gaming rooms. As the server can only handle a given number of concurrent games, I have decided to increase the number of tables but to limit their use so that Premium members (who pay for the servers and actually maintain the site economically) have preference. Now, when all the ‘normal’ tables are occupied, Premium members will still be able to challenge other players (either Premium or not) to a game.
This way everyone has more chances to be able to play, alleviating the reported problem, and at the same time they are encouraged to become Premium.
Let’s see how this works out…

More references details

When showing a user’s references, only those from active users were been listed and just the total of those from inactive users were indicated. Now I’m also detailing each of these references from old, inactive users so that we can see on what date they were granted and from which country.
I have also changed the sorting to be by date (instead of by user name) so that most recent references are on top and it is much easier to check if they are spread through a long period or if they are too concentrated in time.
In the ‘references’ section, I am also listing now the references you have received next to those you have given, also sorted by date.

Duplicating cards

I have added the option to the admins of the site when editing a card to duplicate it instead and insert it as a new card. This way we can create new cards that are very similar to previous ones in the same set, we just edit the similar card, change its number, which needs to be unique, and any other differences, and the card is created with the data provided.
I have just used it to add the Ultimate Rare and Ghost Rare versions of existing cards in the YuGiOh Crimson Crisis set.

Also, when uploading card images, I have added an appropriate error message when the zip file is too large (or corrupted).

Hotmail blocking all my messages!

One of the problems I encountered when moving to a new hosting company is that the IP addresses had to change, so I had to set up DNSs and stuff, but also, I found out that all my messages to hotmail addresses were been bounced! I had to set up special DNS records (SPF TXT records) but that was not enough. I had to answer a lot of questions from the guys at Microsoft and finally the lifted the block on my new IPs. It meant a lot of emails were lost (not redirected to spam folders, simply and directly deleted forever) and in the process I discovered that I’m sending around 3,000 email messages every day! Wow, that’s a lot of inter-user conversations, automatic reports on possible trades, and admin reports…!

I also need to implement a system that intercepts bouncing messages and cancels the responsible accounts.

Moved to new hosting company

I have been forced to move away from my hosting company, as they tried to charge me for services I did not receive and they were not willing to explain. It’s taking a lot of time and work but finally managed to do it with very little down time and without loosing any data.
And the servers now are more powerful and have all the latest software, so I’m running the whole site with just two machines (one of them for the online gaming), and it seems to go quite smoothly.

Small card/miniature image displayed next to cursor

I have added a small feature that can be nice and handy for lists of cards. When you place your cursor over the name of a card, a small image of the card (when available) appears next to your cursor. This way you can identify the card better without having to click on it to open its own page. This new behavior is available in every list of cards: cards in a set, results of a card search, haves and wants of any user, etc.
Of course, the same works for miniatures at Miniature Trading and CambiaMiniaturas.com

A small image of the card being displayed next to the cursor

Automatic image generation for dream cards

I have added the option, when creating Dream Cards, to generate the corresponding image for the card with the provided data. It effectively generates a “card scan” of the virtual cards.

I have made it initially only for Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh!, as it takes some time and effort to create the templates for each card type and card elements. I will try and add it for more games if people request it a lot.

Examples of Magic-style and YuGiOh-style dream card images

CCG-style business cards

I have implemented a little fun application that allows users to design and print a “business card” with their data in the form of a collectible card. The user customizes the card by choosing their favorite game, the type of card and providing an optional image, and the system builds and displays the card image.

The card displays the following information about the user:

• Their user name,
• the URL of their public web page,
• the number of references they currently have
• the number of years they have been registered on the site
• the exact date they registered
• any image they want to upload and include in the card

Here are a couple of examples:

Magic-style business card at TCO

Naruto-style business card

Pokemon-style business card

The Trade Cards Online Tournaments have started!

The Online Tournaments are here!

All games played online on our virtual gaming rooms can be part of a monthly tournament where points are granted automatically based on games played, games results and who your opponents are. Check the simple rules here.

Scores and ranking of the Online Yu-Gi-Oh! Tournament

New games: Blue Dragon RPCG and Dragonball CCG

I have added two new games, Blue Dragon Role Playing Card Game and Dragonball CCG. All the features are available immediately for both games: trading, buying and selling, keeping track of your collection, trader binders and collector binders, card reviews, dream cards, deck building, forums, and even online play!
This has been possible thanks to user chibionineko, who gathered all the data for the existing cards and sent also the card scans. He has also volunteered to be our Herald for those new games.

 

Blue Dragon Role Playing Game at Trade Cards Online

Dragonball Collectible Card Game at Trade Cards Online