MarvelsDB cards JSON data

The goal of this repository is to store marvelsdb card data in a format that can be easily updated by multiple people and their changes reviewed.

Validating and Formatting JSON

Steps have been verified with Python 2.7.x and 3.7.x.

Set Up Python Environment

The validation script requires python package jsonschema which can be installed using pip via pip install jsonschema. It is recommended that you use a virtual environment, but this is strictly optional.

# use a virtual environment (optional)
virtualenv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install jsonschema

If you see an error like "No module named jsonschema" when running the script, you have not installed the jsonschema package correctly.

Run the Validation Script

To check the JSON files:

./validate.py

# or for more detailed output, include the --verbose flag

./validate.py --verbose

To check and apply formatting to JSON files:

./validate.py --fix_formatting

# or for more detailed output, include the --verbose flag

./validate.py --verbose --fix_formatting

Pack schema

• code - identifier of the pack. The acronym of the pack name, with matching case, except for Core Set. Examples: "Core" for Core Set.
• name - properly formatted name of the pack. Examples: "Core Set"
• position - number of the pack within the cycle. Examples: 1 for Core Set
• released - date when the pack was officially released by FFG. When in doubt, look at the date of the pack release news on FFG's news page. Format of the date is YYYY-MM-DD. May be null - this value is used when the date is unknown. Examples: "2016-10-08" for Core Set
• size - number of different cards in the pack. May be null - this value is used when the pack is just an organizational entity, not a physical pack. Examples: 120 for Core Set

Card schema

• attack - Character's attack value. Format is integer or null. Possible values:
  • null: Shows up as dash or a star if attack_star is defined
  • -1: Shows up as X
  • 0+: Shows up as the given integer
• attack_cost - Cost for the character to attack (commonly, the amount of consequential damage)
• attack_star - Whether a star appears in the attack field indicating a special ability
• back_flavor - The flavor text on the back of a card
• back_text - The text on the back of a card
• base_threat - The starting threat on a card. By default, it is per hero.
• base_threat_fixed - Whether the base_threat is fixed and not per hero
• boost - The number of boost icons on a card
• boost_star - Whether a star appears in the boost field indicating a special ability
• code - 5 digit card identifier. Consists of two zero-padded numbers: first two digits are the cycle position, last three are position of the card within the cycle (printed on the card).
• cost - Play cost of the card. Relevant for most cards. Possible values:
  • -1: Shows up as X
  • 0+: Shows up as the given integer
• deck_limit - The max number of the given card that can be in a deck
• deck_requirements - Alter-ego/hero only - describes the character's requirements for an investigator. e.g.:

  "deck_requirements": [
  {
    "aspects": 2
  }
  ]

• defense - Character's defense value
• defense_star - Whether a star appears in the defense field indicating a special ability
• double_sided - Whether the card is a double sided card
• duplicate_of - A link to the original card code for duplicate cards in other packs
• escalation_threat - The acceleration threat to apply to main/side schemes. By default, it is per hero. Possible values:
  • -1: Shows up as X
  • 0+: Shows up as the given number
• escalation_threat_fixed - Whether the escalation_threat is fixed and not per hero
• escalation_threat_star - Whether a star appears in the escalation threat field indicating a special ability
• faction_code - The faction code type for a card. Possible values:
  • aggression
  • basic
  • campaign
  • encounter
  • hero
  • justice
  • leadership
  • pool
  • protection
• flavor - The flavor text on a card
• hand_size - Character's hand size
• health - Character's health. By default, it is fixed.
• health_per_hero - Whether the health is per hero
• health_star - Whether a star appears in the health field indicating a special ability
• illustrator - The name(s) of the artist(s) on the card
• is_unique - Whether the card is unique
• name - The name of the card
• octgn_id - A UUID required for each card
• pack_code - The code for the card's pack. Possible values found in packs.json.
• permanent - Whether the card is permanent
• position - The position of the card in the pack
• quantity - The quantity of the given card found in a pack
• recover - Character's recover value
• recover_star - Whether a star appears in the recover field indicating a special ability
• resource_[energy|mental|physical|wild] - Amount of resources of the given type
• scheme_acceleration - The acceleration amount on schemes
• scheme_crisis - The number of crisis icons on a scheme
• scheme_hazard - The number of hazard icons on a scheme
• scheme_star - Whether a star appears in the scheme field indicating a special ability
• set_code - The code for the card's set. Possible values found in sets.json.
• set_position - The position of the card in the set
• stage - The stage number on a villain or main scheme. Possible values:
  • null: There is no stage for the villain or main scheme
  • 0+: Shows up as the given integer
• subname - Subname associated with a character (e.g. Carol Danvers is a subname for Captain Marvel)
• text - The text on a card
• threat - The target threat on a card before it advances. By default, it is per hero.
• threat_fixed - Whether the threat is fixed and not per hero
• threat_star - Whether a star appears in the threat field indicating a special ability
• thwart - Character's thwart value. Possible values:
  • null: Shows up as dash or a star if thwart_star is defined
  • -1: Shows up as X
  • 0+: Shows up as the given integer
• thwart_cost - Cost for the character to thwart (commonly, the amount of consequential damage)
• thwart_star - Whether a star appears in the thwart field indicating a special ability
• traits - List of traits following the pattern Trait1. Trait2.
• type_code - Type of the card. Possible values (found in types.json):
  • ally
  • alter_ego
  • attachment
  • environment
  • event
  • hero
  • main_scheme
  • minion
  • obligation
  • resource
  • side_scheme
  • support
  • treachery
  • upgrade
  • villain

JSON text editing tips

Full description of (very simple) JSON format can be found here, below there are a few tips most relevant to editing this repository.

Non-ASCII symbols

When symbols outside the regular ASCII range are needed, UTF-8 symbols come in play. These need to be escaped using \u<4 letter hexcode>.

To get the 4-letter hexcode of a UTF-8 symbol (or look up what a particular hexcode represents), you can use a UTF-8 converter, such as this online tool.

Quotes and breaking text into multiple lines

To have text spanning multiple lines, use \n to separate them. To have quotes as part of the text, use \". For example, "flavor": "\"I'd run if I were you.\"\n - Scott Lang", results in following flavor text:

"I'd run if I were you." - Scott Lang

Game Symbols

These can be used in a card's text section. It will get converted to the appropriate icon.

• [boost]
• [cost]
• [energy]
• [mental]
• [per_hero]
• [physical]
• [star]
• [unique]
• [wild]

Translations

To merge new changes in default language in all locales, run the CoffeeScript script update_locales.

Pre-requisites:

• node and npm installed
• npm -g install coffee-script

Usage: coffee update_locales.coffee